Jayde the Hedgehog • Negative Rebound [4]

34 • A Shoulder to Cry On ✔️

Music: Legends Never Die (Acoustic) - TJ Brown

Shadow was quick to follow and he grabbed her wrist, "Renee, stop."

She yanked her hand away and held it to her chest, as if it would harm him if he touched her. Another memory flashed through her mind, acting like it played out in front of her.

I was looking. Looking for any indication that Shadow was alive. After that Riots blast, how could he survive? All my fear was resting on this one moment – Raven could've just ended the life of the Ultimate Lifeform.

Raven casually walked to Shadow, completely unharmed by the blast she had just created. A grunt from him made my heart leap with happiness, and I saw Shadow trying to lift himself up on his hands and knees, panting heavily. He placed his foot down, steadily pushing his weight on it before his foot gave out, sending him back down to the ground.

Raven snickered cruelly, "You survived, and yet you're as dainty as a flower. I thought you were strong. How pathetic."

Shadow blinked glancing to the side to the gang. I knew they were worried – I could feel it, alongside the fear that was radiating from each one of them. Raven chuckled, "Don't worry about your friends," she spoke harshly, "They'll be taken care of."

Shadow was roughly pinned with his back flush against the ground, Raven holding him down with one hand squeezing against his throat. He clutched the hand, a familiar feeling of fear racing through him, just like last time. I could feel my hands wrapped around his neck, but I was too weak to yank Raven back and all my energy was gone. I was crying, I could feel the familiar scene build up inside me, the sickening thought of me killing my own mate – how could I?

"Do you remember this part?" Raven asked, grinning down at him menacingly, watching as he thrashed, "Only this time, it's different. You won't seal me away again." I could feel her tighten her hands ever so slightly.

I couldn't even pull her away.

Shadow took slow deep breaths, reaching a hand into his quills, "This time will be different," he wheezed, his voice scratchy, "This time, I won't seal you away." He grew a sudden strength, a glare in his eyes, "This time, I will end you."

Before she could respond, Shadow flipped us over, holding Raven's hands tightly above her head as he produced the black shard from his quills. For the first time, I could feel the fear come from Raven. I knew that Shadow had a plan, I knew by the determination in his eyes that he wasn't giving up now. He let out a low growl before yelling angrily, pressing a black shard onto Raven's chest.

I could feel it practically ripping Raven from me and screamed inside myself. The pain tore the beast, the monster, from me.

She was finally going...

"I-I'm a monster, Shadow." Jayde stuttered.

"Jayde, that wasn-"

"Yes, it was!" she yelled, "No matter how much you wish it to be true, Raven is always me. She is the dark side of me." She gripped her head, clenching her quills, "Why were these cuffs on my wrists?"

"Jayde-"

"No, Shadow, I want a straight answer!" she demanded, glaring at him.

The ebony male sighed, knowing that he couldn't find a way around this, "The cuffs are on your wrists because part of your negative form has merged with your dark form. But you've got to realise that it wasn't you."