✓ | BREATHE, niklaus mikaelson

chapter six

He feared that she might begin to harbour unpleasant feelings for him and the other Originals, which was a possibility that troubled him profoundly.

A sudden, unexpected turn of events unfolded in the midst of their conversation, as Keira rose from the slumber she had been engulfed in, and she gazed at them, her eyes directed towards each of them in turn.

Her statement gave rise to an unforeseen circumstance, one which brought about a potential for distrust and hostility, as she inquired, "Unless you guys had something to do with my family's death—then no hard feelings?"

The Originals hesitantly reacted to the unexpected, as the young wolf asked them a potentially divisive question, one that could potentially cause tension and suspicion among them.

Elijah spoke her name cautiously, uncertain whether or not she desired their presence near her, with a delicate tone, as Rebekah, who was situated on the edge of the bed, froze, unwilling to make a sudden move in the presence of the young wolf.

Keira's tone lacked aggression, but the suddenness of the question caught the Originals off guard, rendering them temporarily speechless as they exchanged subtle glances.

"Simply offer your response, please," she requested, maintaining her gentle voice but lowering her head, as she hugged herself tightly, closing her eyes.

She followed up with the pertinent question, "Did any of you have anything to do with the events?"

"No," Niklaus was the first to answer in a succinct manner, which alleviated a portion of the unease that she was experiencing. However, the presence of the Originals still filled her with trepidation, her memories having awakened in a manner that induced fear and apprehension.

The sound of the hybrid original's voice caused her to experience a tinge of unease, the familiar aspect of it serving as little comfort to the youngster in the midst of the uncertainty that surrounded her.

Keira's tone shifted upon uttering the sentence, becoming a tad hesitant when she initially addressed the Originals. After pausing for a moment, she uttered, "I want to say..."

She then went on to voice her sentiments, stating, "I trust those words, but with my having my returned memories—I can't trust any of you."

The fact that her recollections had reemerged evidently shook her to her core, to such an extent that it had altered her trust in the Originals, particularly as a result of the traumatic events experienced in her past.

"I'm sorry," Keira whispered, unable to maintain a steady eye contact with any of the Originals, her head hung low, as her gaze remained fixed on the floor.

The young werewolf's voice sounded despondent as she continued speaking, "I'm sorry, it's just that—I need to stay here for a while, to try and process everything..."

The Originals remained still in her presence, each of them attempting to absorb her words. She had apologized for expressing her mistrust in them, but she had also decided to remain in her solitary space.

The werewolf's demeanor grew somber as she embraced herself, and she exhaled deeply, finding some temporary solace in the act. Although she was remorseful for treating the Originals as if they were monsters, given that she had been brought up in an environment where the objective was to annihilate their kind, it was an ingrained instinctual reaction that she struggled to overcome.

As she spoke, her words carried a sense of despondency and sorrow, as she admitted, "My whole life, since the fire, has been dedicated to killing your kind."

The words from the youngster's mouth caused all three Originals to experience a stab of pain, as her declaration hit them like a proverbial dagger. Each of them recognized that the sole means of regaining the trust of the youngster would be by demonstrating that they were not alike to those who had cruelly massacred her family.

They were aware of the fact that the task which laid before them would be an arduous one, especially given their track record of inflicting suffering upon fellow mortals throughout their countless years of immortality. However, they intended to succeed in winning over the werewolf's trust.

Despite Keira having spoken the words, she sensed the discomfort in her chest, feeling as if her heart had been pierced. The recollections were still present in her mind, and her words were merely a reflection of the thoughts and emotions that had surfaced within her.

Although she had revealed an uncomfortable truth, one that she was aware may have pained the Originals, she was still experiencing the feelings of the events that had come back to haunt her, regardless of whether or not she had spoken it aloud.

Despite the fact that Elijah had been nothing but kind towards her, that Niklaus had consistently been a comforting force for her, and the fact that Rebekah had begun to warm up to her and provide her with a sense of familiarity—that did not eliminate the discomfort which she felt, as a product of the recollections which had recently surged through her consciousness.

She had not experienced any reason to distrust them, and yet, there was still a lingering sense of suspicion within her as a result of the horrific memories which had returned to plague her.

Keira was fearful of opening up to the Originals, which was evident as she remained skeptical of their intentions, despite the fact that there had been no occurrences that prompted her suspicions.

It was evident that her trust in the trio had been significantly diminished, as a result of her experiences thus far, and she was reluctant to permit them any room in her life, which would require her to surrender her guard and show a degree of vulnerability.