Not By Blood - THE REWRITE

Chapter One

Alexander Gideon Lightwood was born at 4:07 in the morning on September 12th, 1994. His mother, Maryse Lightwood, held him close to her chest, admiring his sleeping face, her finger held tightly in his tiny fist. Her husband, Robert, stood close by, sneering down at the infant.

"It looks like him," He spat venomously.

"Mmm," Maryse hummed noncommittally. "he doesn't have the horns."

"Maryse," Robert seethed. "how can you accept this? You gave birth to a monster! A demon-blooded creature!"

"It was Valentine's will!" Maryse snapped quietly, trying not to wake her baby. "He is the one who took Ragnor Fell's DNA and created this child with it."

Robert shook his head, still seething. "Are we expected to raise it?" He jerked his chin towards the sleeping baby.

"As if he were yours," Maryse confirmed.

"But he isn't," Robert denied. "Does the Warlock even know?"

"Valentine says that he has a plan for that." The baby squirmed in her arms, grunting and whining. Maryse pulled him closer and shushed him. 'It's alright, darling. You're alright. Mommy and daddy are just talking,"

"Don't call me that," Robert snapped, not as mindful of the baby as Maryse. Alexander began to cry in earnest. "I am not that thing's father, and I never will be."

He stormed out, leaving his wife with her crying infant that was fathered by a filthy Warlock.

***

Maryse and Valentine approached the Shadowhunter Academy, Alec – as Maryse had begun calling him – was cradled in her arms. They marched through the Academy to Ragnor Fell's office, Valentine's seraph blade at the ready.

They didn't knock, Valentine just threw the door open. Ragnor sat up from where he'd been hunched over his desk, writing something down. He quickly stood up when he saw who his impromptu visitors were, eyes going hard.

"Mr. Fell," Valentine said in a faux-cheery voice. "how lovely to see you."

"Mr. Morgenstern," Ragnor growled. "Mrs. Lightwood."

"Hello, Ragnor," Maryse said politely.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Ragnor asked coldly.

"Well, we thought you would like to meet your son," Valentine gestured to the day-old infant. "Alexander."

Ragnor tensed. "Warlocks are infertile. What exactly are you trying to pull, here?"

"Infertile, yes. But with a little DNA, science can do wonders." Valentine told him. "Go on, use your magic. See the truth."

He stepped aside, gesturing toward the baby in Maryse's arms.

Ragnor looked between the two of them distrustfully but waved a hand in Alec's direction, magic flowing from his fingertips. It gently enveloped the baby, glowing brightly. When it faded, Ragnor looked shell-shocked.

"What are you going to do with him?" He looked for all the world like he was only seconds away from snatching the child from Maryse and portaling away.

Valentine smirked, knowing he had the warlock exactly where he wanted him.

"I haven't quite decided yet." He flipped his seraph blade in his hand, nonchalantly. "A half-warlock, half-Shadowhunter would be a fun experiment, don't you think?"

Ragnor looked at the baby desperately. "Please, just give him to me. I'll take care of him. Don't hurt him."

Valentine sighed like the decision was all too much for him. "I don't think that's going to happen."