Disclaimer: Cassandra Claire owns all!

CHAPTER 10

The Wolves:

*Clarissa's POV*

I quickly drove us back him after leaving Magnus's house. I couldn't fully appreciate the ride back, and from looking at Jace I could tell he didn't either. He sat staring out the window, his teeth worrying at his bottom lip as his dark blonde brows furrowed as he thought. He was so deep in his mind that he didn't even notice when I pulled up to a stop in front of my home. A butler soon came out to open the doors for us but, with a shake of my head and a waving of my hand he quickly bowed and hurried back inside. Jace needed time to gather himself before we headed in.

I gave Jace a moment or two before reaching out to him. A few minutes won't hurt any, but anything longer than that could cause suspicion from inside. My Father always has snooty business men over to discus useless things, and Mother's 'friends' are always there to watch over my every move. Jon and I can never be off in front of them, otherwise it could jeopardize Father's whole empire, he has worked so hard to get to where he is at, and I know I don't want to be the one to get in the way of that. The men want to look for a chance to swoop in and take Jon's place as next in line for the family business, and the women want to find a way to soil our family's name through me. All of them are downright evil.

Jace flinched at my touch and backed away from me as much as he could manage in the car. My hand felt like it was burnt and no matter his hard I tried I couldn't keep the hurt from my eyes. Jace's stare was blank until he met my gaze, it was then that he appeared to wake up. His expression mirrored that of looking at something through moving water, all blurred and wrong, until you emerge from the water and everything is clear once again. He took in my position hands withdrawn from him and a frightened look in place before I could react. He looked so sad in that moment.

"S-sorry, did I frighten you?" He asked as he slowly reached forward and took my hands in his, soothing out the worry from both him and myself. I wish I could have said no, but that would have been a lie so I merely put on a smile. "We should probably head in," I said. Jace nodded his head and turned to the back of the car to retrieve the bags from our earlier shopping spree, but I had to stop him. "Don't mind those, someone else will get them," I said as I pulled him back. "But..." he started to say. "No," I said with a shake of my head, "this is someone's job, without this how are they supposed to earn money to bring back to their families?"

At that Jace nodded his head with understanding and quickly got out of the car, moving to my door before I even had time to open it myself. He opened the door for me before offering me his hand, I could feel my cheeks heating already as I accepted his help and silently cursed myself. People do this all the time for me so why am I getting so worked up over it now. I shook my head clear as Jace and I headed up the stairs to my home, my arm still locked in his. The door was opened for us before we had even reached it and the sound of women chit chatting escaped. We walked in to see the parlor doors open, Mother and a few of her friends sat around in the room, no doubt gossiping. I tried to lead Jace pass the doors before they would notice, but I've never been so lucky with these things. "Clarissa dear," Mother called.

Everyone says I look exactly like my Mother, but I just can't see it. My mother has clear, milky white skin and curly red hair that falls just pass her waist. I have the same traits as her, just mine are morphed. Her curls are soft and organized, mine stick out at odd angles with no order whatsoever. My skin is so pale it looks like I've never stepped foot outside and is dotted with freckles. My mother is average height and slender, but her curves are defined and womanly. I on the other hand am child-like in height and shape. By the angel I hope this is just a growing phase, like the ugly duckling. I turned to see she had walked over to the the entrance of the parlor. I had no choice but to turn and smile politely at her and the swarm of bloodthirsty women that were starting to surround her. "Good afternoon Mother, ladies," I said with a small curtsy, by the angel I should have gone in the back entrance.

"I see you have finally gotten yourself a pet, how wonderful," a woman with bright platinum blonde hair, large dangly earrings and a red pant suit said, eyeing Jace up and down. "He is very... well put together," this one a woman with dyed red hair cut to a hard bob style in a black, floral pencil skirt. "Yes, yes, and very young indeed," a third woman with long, straight black hair in a blue, lace collared tunic dress spoke. A sinking feeling arose in my stomach as I took in their hungry stares. Most of these women are in their late thirties or forties, married to very busy husbands who either work in business or politics, many of the ones with children have shipped them off to foreign countries under the premise of studying, leaving them quite 'lonely' creatures. I'm not sure if Jace could feel the hints they were throwing around, but I myself felt sickened by them.

"Yes, Jonathan picked him out himself. I suppose he could help you too, though I'm sure you don't need the company," I said, kicking my 'oh so sweet' smile up a notch. The women were clearly taken aback by this, but couldn't go out and say anything to me about it, certainly not with Mother here. "I merely meant that a young girl of your standing should be out there looking for a... a more suitable boy to spend her time with," one of the women said this one with so much plastic surgery she's more compatible to a barbie doll than a human being, feigning ignorance towards the improper thoughts of the women before her.

"Now, now, Margaret," Mother said, intervening, "Clarissa is free to spend time with whomever she pleases. She still has plenty of time to find a suitor, besides I do not believe my husband would take too kindly to the idea of her being taken away." The women laughed and joked amongst themselves of how protective my Father is towards his family, but I could see the quick glares they tossed me when Mother wasn't looking.

"Now Clarissa dear, run along and have fun," Mother said to me before turning to Jace, "And it was a pleasure to meet you, please take good care of my daughter here." Jace looked startled to have been spoken to directly, but quickly composed himself as he put on a dazzling grin and bowed gently before my Mother. "Of course ma'am, I'll do everything within my power to be sure no harm comes to her," Jace said as he glanced down at me. Mother simply smiled as a small chuckle escaped, "I see. Now go on."

I led Jace away as quickly as I could without being suspicious as I let out the breath I had been holding. "Well that was fun," Jace laughed as we moved about my house. I couldn't help but laugh as well, "Yeah, sorry about that. They are a bit, um... overbearing." "Overbearing," Jace scoffed, "they were practically undressing me with their eyes back there! What about my innocence, how am I ever to marry now?" I took a quick glance at Jace to find him faking a swoon, but he looked close to laying again. "Don't worry, I won't feed you to the wolves just yet," I laughed before opening my suits door.

"Oh yeah, thanks a lot Clary," Jace laughed sarcastically as he followed in behind me. "Clary?" I asked as he shut the door. Jace shrugged his shoulders as he walked further into the sitting room, "Yeah, its just a nickname I thought of, I won't call you that if you don't like it..." "No, no, no," I said, laughing with a waving of my hands, "I like it." That wide, crooked grin of his rose up at that, "I'm glad you like it Clary." I felt my cheeks heat at this little word. It was so simple, only a name, and yet it felt so special. No one had ever given me a nickname, not even my family, in a way it felt intimate, close. I turned around so Jace wouldn't see the heating of my cheeks and saw that all the bags had already been brought up.

"Okay," I said after I had composed myself, "I have an idea for who to call if we can't get help to your family before the next auction." "Yes, what is it?" Jace asked excitedly, stepping closer to me. "My friend Simon, he's the only one I can think of who would be able to safely buy her and keep her without it being suspicious and the only one I know who wouldn't do anything to her. He is just as against this as I am," I explained, "I'm sure if I asked he would agree to helping us whole heartedly." "Simon?" Jace asked. "Yes, Simon Lewis, his Father used to be partners in business with mine so we grew up together, he's my best friend," Simon's father died about six years ago when we were ten, since then my family has practically accepted his family as our own. We helped put them back on their feet and I know we would do it again in a heartbeat. All Simon has now is his mom, sister, and us. "Simon Lewis. Are you absolutely sure about this?" Jace asked one more time. Where I can completely put my trust in Simon, its harder for Jace who has never met him and will have to possibly put the life of his little sister in his hands. "Yes," I said without a single doubt in my mind.

Author's Note:

Hey guy, Im back again! This chapter brings in a bit of Clary's life and has habit more of Clace friendship so yay! I hope you guys are liking the direction and don't find the characters too out of character, I've tried to keep them as close as I could. Anyways I guess that's it for now so bye! I love you all and thank you for reading!

-Haybell