Chapter 10 Maximus was never an irresponsible father . He'd simply assumed that Calista would go after seeing the message - it never crossed his mind that she wouldn't show up . There was no time to contact Calista now . He responded calmly , " I'll be right there . " After hanging up , he immediately instructed his beta to reschedule the remaining meetings . The school event ended at . Maisie had been sulking all afternoon . After dismissal , Maximus sat with her in the back seat . Seeing his daughter's dejected expression , he asked , " Are you okay today ? " Maisie's eyes reddened as she wiped away tears . " Where was Mom ? I told her to come early . All the other kids had their moms there , Dad . " She paused , then added , " If Miss Vespera wasn't performing , I wouldn't have wanted Mom to come at all . " Maximus took Maisie's hand and said gently , " This was Dad's mistake . It won't happen next time . " But Maisie was still upset - every other kid's mom had shown up , and she was the only one there with just her dad . And in some games , having a dad gave her an edge . She loved coming in first , but not when it didn't seem fair . Seeing Maisie still downcast , Maximus was about to say something more when his phone rang . It was Mona calling . He answered , and Mona's voice came through . " Your father's birthday is tomorrow . A few alphas from other packs are coming for dinner tonight . Bring Maisie and meet me at Greenwood Mall . " Maximus paused , only then remembering that tomorrow was indeed his father's birthday . " Alright . " After hanging up , he looked at Maisie , who was still frowning , and gently stroked her cheek . " Baby , Grandpa's birthday is tomorrow . That's why Mom couldn't make it today - she must be at Gray Manor preparing for the birthday celebration . Remember ? She always makes a huge spread . " Maisie thought about it and found that reasonable . Her mood lifted slightly as she raised her chin . " Yeah , that makes sense . Otherwise the other kids would definitely tease me for not having a mom who cares about me . " Maximus couldn't help but smile . " Next time there's a school event , I'll have Vespera go with you , " At his words , Maisie's eyes instantly lit up , her earlier disappointment evaporating . Maximus ruffled her hair and asked softly , " Ready to go see Grandpa now ? " Maisie's smile faded . She asked quietly , " Will Mom be there too ? " She still hadn't forgiven Calista for missing today's event , or for hitting Vespera last time . Just thinking about seeing her mother made her uneasy . Besides , Mom always hugged and kissed her , and always smelled like cooking oil from the kitchen . But Vespera was different - she always carried the scent of gardenias , 11:26 Rejected by the Alpha I Became the Pack's Quoon . 29.00 % Chapter 10 Maximus watched his daughter's conflicted expression and nodded honestly . Maisie knew they had to go tonight . She looked up at Maximus with reddened eyes . " Can I just ignore Mom when I see her ? I haven't forgiven her yet , and I don't want to talk to her unless she apologizes to Vespera . " Maximus buckled her seatbelt and nodded in agreement . After calming Maisie down , Maximus drove to Greenwood Mall . They picked up Mona at , and by , they'd returned to Gray Manor . Throughout the drive , Mona had been on the phone inviting guests to dinner . Maximus held Maisie's hand as they walked into the hall . To their surprise - the house was pitch black . Not a single light was on , the dining table hadn't been set , and the kitchen showed no signs of any cooking whatsoever . Mona blinked hard , unable to believe what she was seeing . After Calista got together with Maximus , she never needed reminders about this day . Every year around this time , Calista always took the initiative to prepare everything perfectly . Even those well - traveled alphas were impressed by Calista's meticulous preparations . Mona always loved bragging about this to her friends , but now ... Looking at the empty kitchen and dark living room , Mona's fury exploded instantly . " What the hell is Calista thinking ? Did she forget what day this is ? " C ( 0 ) ( 0 ) 11:26