Hope

21. Ziffa

"Anything to see you smile, my love," Thomas cooed.

Thomas and Hope walked hand in hand to the gardens. Hope stopped to smell some of the flowers. "They are beautiful and smell wonderful."

"You are more beautiful than the flowers in this garden. I am addicted to your scent," Thomas flirted. He leaned down and captured her lips with a passionate kiss and wrapped his arms around her.

"I feel safe when I am with you," Hope replied. "It's a wonderful feeling."

"I will always protect you. You are my everything," Thomas promised. "Come sweetheart. Which table would you prefer?"

"The table in the shade would be nice," Hope smiled at Thomas. Thomas placed his hand on her lower back and guided her to the table. As he was pulling out Hope's seat, Delta Zeeb and Ziffa joined them.

"The weather is beautiful. I am glad you chose to have lunch in the garden," Ziffa said. Delta Zeeb was pulling out a seat for Ziffa. Hope and Thomas smirked at each other.

"What would you like for lunch sweetheart?" Thomas asked.

"Whatever you choose is fine with me my love," Hope replied. Thomas started beaming with pride. She called me my love, my love.

"Someone looks happy," Delta Zeeb teased Thomas.

"Of course I am happy. I am having lunch with the love of my life," Thomas deflected.

Thomas mind-linked Rosemary. "We are sitting in the garden. Please send four lunches and four waters. Thank-you."

"It will take a few minutes," Rosemary replied.

"How are you feeling?" Ziffa asked.

"Much better. Thank-you," Hope responded. "Is it true that you are mated to the Alpha's youngest son in the pack you visited?"

"I do not feel the bond. My skin does not tingle when we touch. But he insists that we are mates," Ziffa shook her head. "The doctor's here have done many tests. They are beginning to believe that he is not my mate. He is infatuated with me. Either I would like to find my mate or be allowed to choose my chosen mate, someone I love."

"Hmm... In my old pack if a male said you were his mate, nobody questioned him. She would agree to be his mate because if he rejected she became his servant. As his servant, he could treat her however he wanted. The males had all the power," Hope explained.

"So a female who might not really be the male's mate is forced to be marked and mated by the male?" Delta Zeeb asked.

"Yes," Hope sadly nodded.

"And if she rejects the mating?" Delta Zeeb inquired.

"If the female rejects the male, then he has the right to mate her forcefully or use her as his personal servant," Hope explained. "Once he claims she is his mate, she loses her rights. She either accepts him as her mate or she becomes his personal servant," Hope continued.

"What happens if declares her his mate and then rejects her?" Ziffa inquired.

"He can free her or make her his personal servant. I have never seen a male free a female," Hope replied.

"He thinks he will make me his personal servant because I rejected him!" Ziffa became scared.

"There must be another way to prevent Ziffa from becoming his personal servant," Delta Zeeb noted. He held Ziffa's hands.

"What happens if Ziffa has a second chance mate?" Thomas asked.

"It has never happened. I don't know," Hope answered.