Chapter 443: Why Do You Always Wear a Mask?
Hayley’s POV:
Initially, I planned to act as if his kick had knocked me down, concealing my true strength. However, Hera, my proud and confident wolf, steadied my stance, and I remained firm, unshaken.
“Nice! You’re really steady!” the instructor observed, his eyes scanning me, then shifting to Kirsty. “Both of you are doing well. You can take a break now.”
But Kirsty didn’t stop. She simply said, “Sir, I’m not tired. I can keep going.”
The instructor gave her a nod, then looked back at me. “Good. Keep up the momentum.”
“Yes, Sir!”
Kirsty stood tall, her posture perfect, and I mirrored her, standing just as still, silently challenging her. Other students occasionally glanced at us, but we kept our focus on each other. I couldn’t tell how much time had passed before we both simultaneously stopped, moving aside to rest.
I grabbed a bottle of water, turning away to drink, and quickly took off my mask. But Kirsty quickly approached, trying to catch a glimpse of my face. Without hesitation, I put my mask back on, not giving her the chance to see.
Her curiosity was evident, and she asked, “Why do you always wear a mask? Are you sick?”
I shrugged casually, replying, “It’s just a habit.”
She seemed to consider something, a strange smile creeping across her face. “Earlier, during training, I didn’t expect an Omega like you to have such stamina. It’s almost on par with mine.”
She flashed me a thumbs-up. “There’s a 150-foot obstacle course coming up. Good luck.”
I immediately sensed her words weren’t entirely friendly. I had heard that the 150-foot obstacle course was her specialty. Back in high school, she had set a record of 2 minutes and 30 seconds for the course, and no one had come close to breaking it. It seemed like she was eager to prove herself and beat me, an ‘Omega.’
I responded half-heartedly, “You too.”
Kirsty shrugged and turned her attention elsewhere.
“Now, we’ll have a simple test: the 150-foot obstacle course. This will measure your progress over the past few days. The passing time is 10 seconds, and the best time is 2 seconds. We’ll go by student numbers for the test.”
The class lined up, waiting for their turn, then they entered the field one by one for the assessment. Loretta, who was near the front, barely managed to finish the 150-foot run before collapsing from exhaustion. I helped her sit down next to me.
Kirsty’s turn came up soon after. She stood confidently at the starting line. As soon as the instructor called, “Go,” she surged forward, her movements swift, precise, and controlled as she cleared each obstacle with ease, drawing impressed gasps from the others.
“Wow, she’s incredible!”
“How did she make that look so easy? I don’t think I’d get over the first obstacle!”
“Why is it so hard for me, but so simple for her?”
Kirsty finished the course in just three seconds, and the crowd erupted in applause. Even the instructor couldn’t help but praise her. “Kirsty did outstanding, nearly scoring full marks. Beta students should follow her example.”
Kirsty shot me a smug look and said, “Thank you, Sir. I’ve been training for this since I was a kid. It’s no surprise I did well. You all don’t train as often, so it’s normal if you didn’t perform as well. But don’t worry, not everyone’s like me.”
“Kirsty, you’re amazing!”
“I envy you so much. You’ve been training since you were young and have such great physical condition!”
“You’re the top student among us freshmen werewolves!”
I listened to the praise, offering only a faint smile but saying nothing.
“Next up! Hayley!” The instructor called my name. I stepped up to the starting line.
“Okay, your time starts now!” As soon as the instructor’s words left his mouth, I took off, my speed leaving the others behind. The other students could only stare in stunned silence, their mouths hanging open.