Honestly, the goddess didn't know what was wrong with her. She had been pleasuring herself with watching handfuls of males and females alike reject their destined mate. It was laughable, really, to think that they could ever escape from the fate of love. Or whatever guy the goddess could be sure would bring the most cliched scenes into one's life.

Alica had long since taken her mother's place, bringing together the forces of 'Fate' as those would call it, but Alica just called it karma. Who would want to be forced to love this person their entire lives without actually loving them? Of course the two would never know they didn't love each other, they would simply be blinded to think otherwise by The Mist. That was part of the reason that if one of the duo were to die, the other would too, giving no room for doubt of their 'love.'

But the same thing would happen to herself, the only problem was that she wouldn't be blinded like the other mating processes. She would get to choose her mate and didn't have to actually love him. Alica knew she was only allowed this because she was a goddess, and they needed her to mate so there would be someone trained to take her place like she did her mother's. Stated clearly in the rules, by the age of seventeen, the child is allowed to take over, giving the former Mating Goddess a rest. Though when the child turns twenty, on her birthday, she must mate before the sun has set.

The only catch is that afterwords, the father isn't allowed into the child's life. He is left to drink his problems away, never even getting a glimpse at his lover or child from that day forward.

Today is Alica's nineteenth birthday, meaning she has exactly one year to mate with any man of her choice. Lucky her, she'll be getting laid without her mother yelling her throat sore. Again, lucky her.

"Alica," The goddess heard her mother walk behind her before settling on the bench she sat on. "It's freezing out here, why don't you come inside?" Rolling her eyes, the goddess huffed. Her mother was surely used to the cold by now, it was literally her duty to be out here all night, raising the moon and stars and mating werewolves.

"Why, so I can sit and watch my life rot away until it's time for me to go out and screw some guy like you did?" Alica clicked her tougne. "Thanks, but no thanks." The woman sighed, seeing Alica wasn't in the best of moods. She tried changing the subject, if that's what you could even call it. "It's your birthday Ally, why be such a loner? Go out and have some fun!"

Alica rolled her eyes. "Because calling your daughter a loner so helps with their self-esteem." She muttered, shoving a strand of auburn hair out of her eyes. Her fingers clasped onto the bottom of her blue lacy T-shirt, tugging at it. She cursed herself for only wearing a pair of plain jeans to shield her legs from the cold. Though her mother may be used to it by now, she'd never spent more than an hour at a time outside in the cold like this since the ending sessions of her training was taking up most of her time.

"You know," Alica's mother whispered softly, her voice flying off into the wind. "You have the same stubborn attitude as your father did. Like you, he would say whatever popped into his mind, not thinking twice before he said them." Alica listened intently since this was one of the rare times her father ever even dared to mention the word 'Father' infront of her. She seemed to be off in some sort of daze, the same daze she was always in when she talked about her father.

"But deep down in that cold heart of his, I found a light. A light that he only shinned for me, no one else. A light so bright they put the moon to shame." The woman smiled sadly, patting her daughter's hand gently. "Like you he didn't like people, he would sit on his porch sun day to sun down until I forced him to go have alittle fun."

Alica almost gagged as she referred to 'Fun' as sleeping with her father but she remembered that this may be her only chance get get an answer about her father out of her. "His name? What was his name?" Even though her mother had told this sob story a million times, she avoided his name as if he was a bad luck charm come true and Alica never had the guts to ask.

"Anthony. He always wanted to go by his last name, Jackson, though."

Alica let the name roll off her tounge silently and played it over in her head. She liked the name. It seemed to fit her father perfectly from what the stories have told her.

Jackson.

There couldn't have been a better name for him. Not one that had crossed her mind anyhow.

Alica got to her feet, pulling her mom out of her lustful daze. "I guess I'll take your advice. I mean, I only turn nineteen once right?" Alica's mother gave a small laugh in replie, walking back inside the warm, cozy house. Not wasting a second, Alica rushed up to her room, trying to put atleast some effort into her appearance for once. After she was finished, there were clothes thrown all over her bed in different combinations.

Alica decided to rock a black leather jacket with a white sleeve-less skull shirt, skinny jeans and combat boots. Her auburn hair were left only in normal waves that in her opinion, were a bit sloppy. She took a long look around her room. It was baby blue with ocean themed walls and a painting of the beach on her door. It was no secret that Alica was obessed with the color blue; she adored it to no given end. Her room was like a whole different setting from everything else in the house, it was hard to believe that it was actually in the same place.

The goddess grabbed a small makeup bag that Aphrodite had given her when she turned fourteen. Though Alica had never used the bag, she always kept it as to not angry the love goddess. If she needed to mate, she had to do it without some stupid goddess ruining the entire thing.

She pulled out a small ball in which she opened to reveal some sort of lipstick. That was the only thing Alica could stand to put on her face without thinking she looked like one of those murder clowns she often saw in movies.

Walking down the steps towards her grinning mother, Alica rolled her eyes but there was a small smile playing on her lips. Alica couldn't remember the last time she got dressed up like this. Actually, she never had. There was no point in it, she was always training. Catching up on her work and spending time with her mother. Not Mrs. Ross, the person her mother turned into when she taught her daughter. Just mom. The mom that was a very rare sight to Alica and ones she cherished.

"Have fun out there sweetie." Alica's mother whispered, hugging her daughter as if it were her last day. "Be careful." Alica knew exactly what her mother meant.

Don't reveal yourself

The moon goddess could on be revealed after the deadline of their mating ceremony to avoid being hunted down and such. So technically, her mother was still viewed as the Mating Goddess. Of course, her grandmother Artemis and he mother were still Moon Goddesses, just not a Mating Goddesses. Plus, who would want to mate with a goddess that didn't even love them? Only wanted a child?

Exactly.

Though now she would be stepping out into the open, beginning the start of her wild night. Only she doesn't know just how important this night actually is.

Alica pulled her ID out her back pocket shoving it in the guards face. "Alright mam, head on in and try not to cause trouble." He dropped the chain that separated her from the late night club. Alica walked inside,, wincing at the loud music. Her head was literally pounding to the music, Alica could barely think straight.

The goddess walked towards the bar, sliding up on a seat. Alica wasn't going to drink. Well, not much anyways, maybe one or two though she wouldn't push her limits.

"Hit me with whatever you've got." Alica waved her hand carelessly to the bartender. The woman fixed her drink setting it on the counter infront of her before tended to the other new arrivals.

"So sweetheart,"A voice from behind her questioned. "What is someone as sexy as yourself doing here all alone?" Alica turned in her seat, coming face to face with a man about her age. He had dirty blonde hair and crystal blue eyes with a small butt chin. He was hot, Alica could give him that, but the way he stared at her as if she was already his was starting to creep her out.

"What the hell do you want?" Alica snapped, narrowing her eyes in on him. She held her drink in her hands, annoyed that he had interrupted her. The boy sat next to her, holding his hand to his heart in mock hurt. "Damn girl, what crawled into your panties and died?"

Alica would have answered if she had not been beaten to the chance. "It's obvious not all girls swoon over you Daniel. Just leave the poor girl alone." This time, the voice belonged to a boy with dusty brown hair, brown eyes and slightly pink lips. This time Alica actually felt herself drooling as she stared at him.

What was wrong with her?

A brunette clung to his arm, smiling warmly at Alica. "Yeah," the brunette said. "How about you just go and try to get in some other girl's pants. I can tell this one obviously has some sense." Honestly, Alica didn't know if she should be offended since the girl pratically said she didn't have all her sense, or be angry at the fact she hung onto the boy as if he were her property.

Daniel rolled his eyes, taking Alica's drink and drowning it in one gulp. "Always ruining shit, you and Jake." Alica glared at Daniel as he put the empty glass back in her hand. "See ya sweetheart, keep that face of yours pretty for me you hear?"

The girl, after Daniel had walked away, turned to Alica. "Hi, I'm Ashley. Sorry about my brother there, he's a natural born ass."

Alica shurged. When she realized they were waiting for her to introduce herself, she frowned. My name is Alica."
"I'm Jake." The boy held out his hand for Alica to shake. When their fingers touched, Alica could feel the sparks that were rumored to happen when someone had meet their mate.
Jake must have felt it too because his smile faltered and his hand tightened around hers. A perky Ashley interrupted them, breaking their hands apart. "Well, I can see we're going to hit it off well."
'Oh,' Alica thought, 'you don't have a clue.'