Keira's episode took a toll on her, and she had fainted, her body now motionless on the bed, a stark contrast to the vigorous state of agitation that had seized her, and she remained unconscious.
The torrent of memories from her past seemed to have overwhelmed her, prompting a flood of recollections that manifested in a torrent. The past events had seemingly washed over her, and she remained in a dormant state, the memories likely consuming her subconscious mind as they surfaced in vivid detail.
As the Hale remained in an unconscious state, the three Originals looked on at her from by her bedside, their gazes fixated on her weary body. They remained still and stoic, their focus centered on the youth, whose exhausted form remained in the position in which she was left after the conclusion of the episode.
"Memories, most likely, and a grim variety," Rebekah remarked, leaning against the bed, her gaze directed towards the youngster.
Elijah concurred with the statement of his younger sister, commenting "Yes, they must have been truly deplorable memories."
The hybrid original stood by the window in the bedroom, his gaze locked upon the scenery outside, his visage displaying a pensive expression as he crossed his arms. He was attempting to eradicate from his mind the distressing outcry of the youngster, which had impacted him profoundly.
The recollections had triggered anger within him, as he was irate with himself over the notion that the memories, which he had previously desired his "little wolf" to recall, had caused her such intense anguish.
The hybrid original was aware of the fact that it was the hands of the vampires that had massacred the Keira's family, and he was cognizant of the fact that recalling such memories would produce a sense of suffering.
Having witnessed Keira's pain and her ensuing cries and screams, the sensation was akin to the one he experienced with his brethren, evoking an excruciating sensation that deeply affected him.
The hybrid original sighed heavily as his brother approached him, placing a delicate hand onto the shoulder of the hybrid original, the gesture soothing his distress.
Elijah addressed his younger brother, speaking softly and rationally, "Brother, it is not your fault; Keira's memories were bound to reemerge eventually."
The tone of his voice lacked a hint of disdain, which further mitigated the hybrid original's guilt and allowed him to feel slightly more at ease.
"Indeed, we all heard her painful wails, and it is possible that she will alter her sentiment towards us upon regaining consciousness," Niklaus acknowledged, placing his palm on the pane, as he gritted his teeth, feeling anxiety at the thought of potentially losing her when she was just starting to warm up to him.
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.