Who’s Still Afraid? by Maria Lewis

Author:Maria Lewis [Lewis, Maria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780648971313

Waking with a jolt, I realised I must have fallen at the start of the trip to the Ihi pack property just outside of Rotorua. Simon had been discussing whatever local pack the Aunties had negotiated with to enter their territory and meet us at the Treize airfield, but he fell quiet as I fully roused to attention. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I glanced at the scenery passing outside the window.

‘How far away are we?’ I asked.

‘Twenty minutes.’

I grunted in reply, falling quiet as the car descended into silence. The day after tomorrow – the day of ahi hikoi – we would rise at dawn and drive some six hours from Rotorua to Wellington. Then we’d jump on a ferry to travel three hours to the port of Picton on the South Island, where we’d be on neutral territory: sacred werewolf grounds protected for hundreds of years specifically for this purpose. It was where all New Zealand werewolf packs went to perform their coming of age rites and where I would perform mine . . . or die trying. But first, there were customs to be upheld among the Ihi pack and on Ihi land. Needing to keep my hands busy, I worked my hair into two tight braids. For whatever reason that gave me some sense of confidence that stayed with me right up until we pulled up at their house. The car stopped a small distance away and we had a one-hundred metre walk to the front gate.

I hung towards the back of the group as Simon, Aruhe, the Aunties, and Heath’s crew of bodyguards began the procession towards the property. Simon was at the front of the group and marching with confidence: he was their leader and he had returned home with one of the pack’s beloved daughters. Suddenly a cold, creeping fear spread through my body as the memories of my first and last visit came flooding back. Spinning on my heel, I walked face-first into Heath’s chest.

‘Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh fuck, what have I done? Is it too late to go back? Oh God,’ I blurted.

‘What’s happening?’ asked one of the bodyguards.

‘You okay?’ queried Aruhe.

‘She’s fine,’ said Heath. ‘Give us a moment.’

I heard their footsteps retreat as they moved on and I tried to calm my breathing. ‘Ohgodgodgodgodfuckshitegodchrist.’

‘Tommi,’ he said, grabbing both of my wrists that had been resting on his chest.

‘Mothermarythiswasabadide—’

‘TOMMI.’

He shook me slightly and my head lolled up to look at him. He whacked me with my own wrists lightly on the cheek.

‘Stop hitting yourself.’

I blanked. Did he really just do that? He whacked the other side of my face with my arm.

‘Stop hitting yourself.’

‘I – what are you doing?’ I protested, yanking myself free.

‘What are you doing?’

‘I’m . . .’ I thought about it. ‘I’m acting like a child.’

‘Good. Me too.’

Confused, I titled my head to see if he was serious. He smiled, slow and wide. I laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation.

‘Can we go and get this over with now? Or do we need to freak out some more?’ Heath asked.

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