Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Maximus saw that he was still standing and shot him a glance . Liam had no choice but to sit down . To express his gratitude , Jett first raised a toast to Maximus . Maximus politely took a sip , nothing more . Everyone's attention was focused on Maximus , but Calista remained quiet , eating her food in small bites . She sipped when the table toasted , but when the glasses clinked just between the two of them , she kept her gaze fixed on her plate . When Jett made his last round , he stopped at Calista . " Dr. Vance , thank you so much for everything you've done for the children . Since you arrived , the kids ' illnesses have all been treated . You care for them like they're your own children . Thank you for your hard work these past two months . " Calista raised her glass , smiling faintly . " You're too kind , Mr. Jett . I'm just doing what I should. " Two months ? Calista had been here for two months already ? So she hadn't followed his car here after all ? He glanced at her - simple clothes , just the lightest touch of makeup ... and still , she was beautiful . Those years of being a full - time mom had drained the color from her , yes . But now , looking closer ... there was a new kind of allure in her , something he couldn't quite name . Suddenly , Maximus's wolf stirred restlessly . He frowned , then pulled his gaze away from Calista . She set her glass down without a glance in his direction . As if , to her , he were no one at all . Calista continued eating quietly from her plate , head lowered . Suddenly , a peeled shrimp appeared on her plate . She looked up - it was Nash Watson . After two months at the school , she'd come to know most of the teachers . Nash was the quiet , gentlemanly sort ; when he smiled , his eyes were clear as glass . " Thank you , Mr. Watson , " she said . Jett's eyes flickered slightly , and he asked directly , " Dr. Vance , are you married ? " Most people at this school were ordinary humans . To avoid trouble , Calista hadn't revealed her identity as a shifter - after all , humans couldn't tell who was a werewolf and who was one of their own just by appearance . That was precisely why so many shifters had already fully integrated into human society , working and living like ordinary people , following the same routines . Even unions between humans and shifters were no longer uncommon . Sometimes the Moon Goddess's destined mates were ordinary humans . So young werewolves nowadays preferred to date freely as humans , then establish their relationships through legal marriage registration . 11:27 Rejected by the Alpha , I Became the Pack's Queen 54.8 % Chapter 18 For shifters , this legally recognized human marriage was like a " convenient bond " beyond the pack's mate contract - it allowed them to navigate human society more easily , just like ordinary human couples . Calista didn't hesitate . She answered directly , " Yes , I have a daughter . " Across the table , Maximus saw Nash peeling shrimp for her . Saw her smiling at another man . He didn't know what he was feeling - only knew that for a moment , his mind wandered . His wolf grew restless and uneasy . Unlike before , when his wolf's possessiveness toward this destined mate would quickly settle under his control - but today , things were somewhat beyond his control . When he tuned back in , she was saying she was married - with a daughter . For a split second , something like relief flickered through him , sharp and uninvited . And he saw the light in Nash's eyes snuff out in an instant . Then she added , " But I'm getting divorced soon . " Maximus didn't hear that part - his phone started ringing with a video call . He answered , but not before flicking another glance at Nash . The light in the man's eyes was back . So ... what had she said ? ( 0) ( 0) 11:27