I'm Nobody's Shadow Novels & Stories

SYDNEY I walked briskly down the dimly lit street, my heart pounding in my chest like a relentless drum. Anxiety coiled around me like a suffocating serpent, its grip tightening with every step. The shadow that trailed me, an unwelcome companion, had become a constant presence, haunting my every move. I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was being watched, that every turn I made was being meticulously observed. Who was this man? The question echoed relentlessly in my mind, tormenting me with its unanswered riddle. I racked my brain, desperately trying to connect the dots, but every attempt ended in frustration. The shadow was elusive, shrouded in mystery, refusing to reveal its true ident

“Okay, creepy shadow me, what’s this about? You gonna guilt-trip me or something?” The shadow tilted its head, its eyes glinting with malice. “You hide behind your jokes, but you know the truth, don’t you? You’re afraid. Afraid that when it matters, you’ll fail. That you’ll be nothing more than a coward.” Jamie’s bravado faltered, his grip on the skateboard tightening. “Shut up,” he said, his voice low. “You don’t know me.” The shadow stepped closer, its presence suffocating. “I am you. And you know I’m right.”

“We need to warn them. The crow—” A shadow passes overhead. The crow circles, one eye violet, the other gold. *“It’s not over,”* the Shadow whispers in my mind. *“It’s never over,”* I reply. ---

“You have no idea what you are. You think your bonds make you strong? You think your wolves can save you? You are nothing without me.” I felt my anger ignite. Nothing without me? That was the lie I had been fed for three years by every person who had abandoned me. And now, this shadow was trying to tell me the same thing. I would not accept it. I would not bow. “I am everything!” I screamed, my energy flaring brighter than it had ever flared before. The light blinded those around me, and for a brief moment, the shadow faltered. I could see its form ripple, like darkness disturbed by a sudden sun.

"If you do this, I swear I'll make you both regret it!" Brian burst into wild, unrestrained laughter. "The Sinclair Group is one of the top powers in Veridian City. Who the hell are you? An imposter, a nobody, and you have the nerve to threaten me? Tonight, I'll make you remember the price of pissing me off forever!" He lifted his foot, aiming the hard heel of his custom leather shoe at my ankle, and ground down hard. The pain felt like it was tearing my bones apart, shooting through my entire body. I bit down on my back teeth until the thick taste of blood filled my mouth.

"But all you have done is delay the inevitable. They will never truly accept you. Never truly trust you. They will always fear what you could become." "Who are you?" I called into the darkness. Laughter echoed. "I am the shadow of possibility. The dark path you refuse to walk. The power you keep chained." A figure materialised from the void. Me, but different. Eyes blazing pure silver, hair flowing with flames, power radiating from every pore. "I am what you could be," the shadow said.

Not just unlit—a thick, velvety black that seemed to swallow the light from the hallway. A voice came from within, flat and disembodied. “Say what you’re here for and stop wasting my time.” I blinked, trying to peer inside. “Can I, uh, come in? Or do you want to come out?” “No.” Alright then. “Fine. I just wanted to talk. We’re teammates. Figured we should know each other. I’m Bryan. I like fire, bad music, and eating. Your turn.” A beat of silence. Then, from the darkness, “I’m the Shadowalker. I tolerate existence. Your turn is over.”

I have a contract to sign in order to prove Aunt Dolores wrong. The thought of wanting him in flesh excited me but then, I remembered Victor and released a sigh I didn't realize I was holding. My thumb shakes when I tap his profile. I've never looked before. I never needed to. The anonymity was the whole point. A shadow I could beg without consequences, without a name to haunt me after. The handle is still ShadowKing. The bio image loads first: a black wolf silhouette cut sharp against a glittering skyline at night. It looked familiar in a way that made my gut clench before my brain caught up.

No man will control or hurt me because I am stronger than I have ever been! I will crush this arsehole just as soon as I break the hold. ‘What, the hold he doesn’t have over you?’ ‘Shadow! Why didn’t you answer me when I called? Help me break the spell.’ ‘There is no spell, Jenna,’ Shadow tells me. ‘It’s your own fear that has you paralysed. I don’t think this man means to harm you. But I promise I will not let him hurt you if that is his intention.’

It was all because of my stupid credibility. “I’m disappointed in myself!” I said out loud. “This disappointment will be easier to handle if you find the cause of it,” Olivia told me. “Why did she do it?” asked Olivia, confused. “I didn't do anything wrong to her. I didn’t cheat on her.” “What would you have thought of these images? They look so real.” “Do you believe me? I feel like a nobody, anyway. If you think I’m guilty too, then I have nothing good left.”