SHAPESHIFTED (✓)

40. There's no Marius.

A week, it's been a week since Magnus got stuck in his katasu form and was living with Alec at the institute. It was hard for Alec to keep up with his lies and he was thankful to Izzy that she covered up for him most of the time, but he was completely perplexed by everything, he was worried about his mate and was lying to his family constantly, and he hated both.

The whole week went in restlessness, especially the last two days, New York City was back on its feet, most mundanes had their memory erased and all they know is that a natural disaster ruined the city, but for Alec, it was much worse. Till now, they all knew that Lexi was in Edom but for the last two days, she was untraceable and since the time Magnus found that, he was disturbed and hadn't slept or eaten anything at all.

"Magnus..." Alec spoke softly in a sad voice and kept the food and water bowl on the bed beside his curled-up mate. Magnus looked up through his tired dull golden eyes then glanced at the food.

•'Lexi?'•

Alec sighed and picked up the medical box from the side table. "Nothing yet. She's still untraceable. Carita and others are looking for her on other planets and dimensions as well. Catarina and Ragnor are tracking her on Earth. They'll let us know if they'll find something. Now, please eat something, Magnus."

•'Not until Lexi gets found. Please take this away.'• He turned his face away and gazed at the wall blankly, making Alec let out a loud sigh.

"Magnus... don't be so stubborn. Please eat. I know you're worried but siding away from food won't do any good. What if we find Angel in a bad state, and she needs you, your strength, and you won't be able to help because you're weak? That won't do any good to either of you, right? So please eat, no for me, not for yourself but for Angel."

Magnus tilted his head towards Alec then looked at the food then back to Alec and slowly blinked. He then stood up, limped towards the food bowl, and dug his face into it, slowly eating whatever Alec made for him. Alec sighed with relief and stroked his head and body as he kept eating. When he was done he drank the water from the bowl, licked his face, and limped towards his mate as Alec kept the bowls away.

"Mew!"

"I know, Magnus." He picked him up and placed him on his lap, then took the medicine from the box and unwrapped the dressing from his back leg as he placed a soft kiss on Magnus' head. "I don't understand, why isn't your wound healing, it used to before!"

Magnus hissed when the medicine touched his still open wound but glanced at his mate when he felt soft blows over it and noticed his worried hazel eyes.

•'My previous injuries healed because I shifted back to warlock form to heal them, hiding from your eyes obviously. I still don't have healing abilities in this form, and mundane ways will only help with the pain but won't affect the wound. I'm sorry for deceiving you like that, Alexander. I've hurt you so much.'•

"Stop with that, Magnus. It's all in the past now. But... your leg?"

•'Won't heal until I shift or...'•

"Or?" Alec asked worriedly as he finished the dressing and kept the medical box on the side table, then ran his fingers through Magnus' soft burgundy fur.

•'Or until my form develops into a Katatsu or Katatsune, whichever has healing abilities.'•

"No, we have no idea how long that will take. We have to find a way for you to shift. I can't keep up with these lies, Magnus. It's killing me!"

•'I know, I'm so sorry you have to lie because of me.'•

"Ma-"

"ALEC!" Izzy ran inside his room with Jace, Clary, and Simon trailing behind her. All of their faces were pale like they had seen a ghost and their brows had wrinkles between the gap of it making Alec's heart go fast.