Chapter 14

Magnus groans as his eyes flutter open from the sunlight streaming in through the windows. Feeling a weight around his waist he looks down to see Alexander's arm around him. Smiling he nestles into the young archer, the sun shining on the raven-hair man and making him look more like an angel than a Shadowhunter solider.

Magnus starts tracing runs on Alexander's chest, stomach, and side. As he tracing one rune repeatedly when Alexander's hold brings Magnus closer, showing that the Nephilim is starting to wake. "Good morning." Alec says, voice groggy and full of sleep.

"Morning."

"Can we talk?"

This catches Magnus' attention. What do they possibly need to talk about? "Go ahead." Magnus tells him.

"The first thing is that the Clave doesn't have the Soul Sword."

"What? Where is it?" Magnus exclaims.

"They don't know. Very few people know about it."

"Why are you telling me this?" Magnus moves and props his head in his hand.

Alec turns to face him. "Because it concerns you and our son, not to mention the entire Downworld."

Magnus looks down at his stomach, a frown forming on his lips. "How do you know if our son will die if the Sword is activated? He is half-Shadowhunter."

"That doesn't matter. Our son is still half-Warlock and if the Sword gets activated you'll end up dead and there is a chance our son may too. Honestly I'd feel better if you left and went into hiding."

"I'm not leaving. I won't leave." Magnus means it. When he makes up his mind there is no changing it, Catarina and Raphael have known him long enough to tell anyone who'll listen how stubborn he can be at times.

"If you're sure," Alec moves to sit up and rubs a hand over Magnus' womb, worry for Magnus and their son evident through their mating bond. "I just worry about you and him."

"We'll be fine, Alexander." Magnus reassures. "Now what else do you want to talk about?"

"What are we? Relationship speaking. I get it if you just want it strictly platonic and we can get rid of our mating bond, if you want."

If Magnus wants? Alexander is willing to go to the Silent Brothers or have a Warlock separate them from their bond so they don't feel each other, the only thing they'll have in common is their son. Does Magnus want their bond to be severed? He doesn't know, and he's sure that Alexander doesn't want to, yet he's willing if Magnus doesn't want it. How did Magnus get bonded to the most selfless Shadowhunter there is in existence?

Magnus decides to be honest. "I don't know if I want the bond severed yet. We can talk about it more after our son comes. As for our relationship, I don't know where we stand either. I----" Magnus is cut off by Alexander's phone going off. "Who is that?" He wonders as Alexander looks at his phone.

"It's my Dad."

There's something about the way Alexander says it that tells Magnus that nothing good as happened recently between the two. "Is everything okay between you and your father?"

"I don't know. After I found out about the Soul Sword I may have let it slip that with it missing it's going to affect my mate and child. The text you sent me broke the tension, sort of, and I left to go to you at the park. Besides Izzy, I have no idea how my parents and Jace feel about it."

"Well, we're going to have to face them at some point, so we better get dressed and head to the Institute."

"We?"

"Might as well get it out of the way that I'm the one carrying your half-Shadowhunter child, they're going to need to get all the anger out of their systems before our son arrives."

Alexander smiles a true smile that Magnus has never seen on the younger man before. He wants to keep it there. Getting up Magnus puts on his usual black pants and heels, a cobalt blue shirt and a black jacket. He compliments the outfit with countless silver necklaces and rings.

Alexander is looking for his clothes from the day before when Magnus snaps his fingers, dressing the younger man in a dark colored shirt, black jeans, his boots, and a leather jacket. Magnus is tempted to put a few bracelets on the young Nephilim, maybe even a necklace with a shark tooth. He decides against it.

Alexander turns to face him. "Is this how you dress yourself every morning?"

"No, just when I have to be somewhere and quick. Do you want to take the train back to New York or can I open a portal?"

"A portal's fine."

"Makes you less prepared to face your parents."

"Makes it less time for me to change my mind."

A smile forming on his face Magnus opens a portal to the Institute. It's now or never.

The portal opens in the Ops Center in the Institute. The only people in there is Robert, Maryse, and Jace. Izzy is there with Max too, but it seems that the only daughter in the Lightwood family is distracting her younger brother with a comic book that she reasonably got from Simon.

"Mom. Dad." Alexander's voice is detached as he addresses his parents, not even acknowledging his own Parabatai.

"Alec, you have a lot to answer for yesterday." Robert states. "First off, who is your mate?"

"Magnus."

Robert nods. "How far along are you in the pregnancy and how long have you two been mates?"

"Five months." Magnus and Alexander say in union since it's unclear which one of them Robert is talking to.

"Five months for being mates or the pregnancy?" Maryse asks furrowing her eyebrows.

"Both." Magnus answers. That isn't the answer that the Lightwood parents are looking for by the expressions on their faces.

"Did you mate before or after conceiving?" Maryse wonders.

Magnus looks at Alexander to see if he's ready to answer, but rather sees Alexander shifting from foot to foot, uncomfortable with giving the answer. "During." Magnus tells them. "It was a spur of the moment decision."

"You haven't always been Robert and I's favorite person, Magnus," Maryse takes a deep breath. "But it looks like you're making our son happy, so keep him that way."

"And if I don't?"

"He has me, Izzy, Max, and our parents to come after you and make you regret hurting him." Jace finally declares. He's been quiet this whole thing that Magnus has forgotten that the blonde was even in the room.

"I'm going to be an uncle?" Max asserts as he comes running over to his brother and Magnus.

"Yes." Alec grins down at his youngest sibling.

"Well. I guess there's only two questions left," Robert says, a tooth-for-tooth grin on his face. "How many kids are you expecting and what are they?"

"One. And the baby is a boy." Alec says.

"A boy? We're going to have a grandson?" Robert and Maryse exclaim.

"We're having a nephew?" Jace, Izzy, and Max proclaim together.

"Alec, Magnus, how do you want to do this? Do you want a small party with friends and family before word gets out or would you like to announce it to the entire Shadow World beforehand?"

Alec looks at him before looking back at his parents. "It's best to just keep it between all of us for now. We don't need the wrong people catching any word that Magnus is pregnant; even if they do know it shouldn't be out that our son is additionally half-Shadowhunter."

"Fair enough. But I must ask have either of you considered removing your mating bond before you found out about the baby? What?" Robert has a dumbfound expression.

Alexander stares at Magnus before ushering him to the office, shutting the door and locking it. "Is everything well, Alexander?"

"Did you? Did you try to remove me as your mate?"

"Alexander, after we. . . . conceived, and before I even knew I was pregnant I didn't try to remove it. I wanted to talk to you first. Whilst others do get their mating bites removed I do value your opinion and wanted to make sure it's what you wanted."

"Why? I was avoiding you."

"That is true. I also know that some people are. . . . disappointed when the person they marked or marked them severs the bond. What do you want me to say? That I did briefly consider it once but then I found out about our son the thought stopped? Severing the bond while pregnant can be fatal to the baby and the carrying parent."

"What about after?" Alexander breathes.

"What do you mean?"

"After our son is born, do you want to sever our mating bond?" Magnus doesn't know what to say. He clearly takes too long as Alexander moves away from the door, turning around to leave.

"Alexander. . . ."

"I need to be alone for a while."

"At least tell me I'll see you at home tonight,"

Alexander stares at him before leaving the room, leaving Magnus alone.

To be continued...