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Pearl was deeply displeased when she found out through the grapevine that I had chosen to stay in Paris against her wishes. As a former Theta, she'd clearly expected me to do as I was told, but I was through listening to her, and set about making a new life, well away from the tragedies of home. It didn't help that the Tails of the Night lived only a few blocks away from the Star Shadows, but I refused to let Pearl drive me away from my new pack. The Star Shadows were very welcoming to me, and Henri had given me the run of the house for me to do as I wished. I was even able to finally resuming my neglected swimming, but I decided not to pursue my dream career, not because I didn't want to, but because I'd outgrown it. But I was still happy to play in the pool any time I wished, with no one to say me nay, or insist I marry someone against my will.
Of course, it wasn't all sunshine and roses - Pearl made sure of that. Despite her claims of no longer wanting anything to do with me, she decided to be as petty as possible and send updates on Dakota, all the while boasting of how much her "daughter" was turning out to be like her. I knew she was moulding Dakota into a twisted little version of herself, but since I'd promised not to ask after my little cousin's welfare, I refused to ask questions, and left Pearl's messages unanswered. She was dead to me, and I meant to stick to my word.
Karma caught up with Pearl a few months later when Louis grew sick of her constant baiting of me, and he exiled her from the pack. Pearl took her depature with ill grace, made the more bitter when she was forced to renounce her ties to Dakota, much to her disgust. Louis wouldn't budge - she'd stolen Dakota by force, and since the child still had living relatives, it was Louis's intention to see Dakota returned to her family. I warned him to watch out - Pearl was the type to seek out Dakota's surviving relatives and have them killed. Louis promised to send word to all the French packs, telling them of Pearl's horrendous crimes, and warning them of her duplicitious capabilities to present herself as a wronged individual.
Pearl soon found out very quickly that you do not piss off French werewolves, who were, on a whole, far more tight-knit than werewolves living in the United Kindgom. No one would open their doors to her, and even the human citizens turned their backs on her, shunning her when her crimes were brought to light. And now that she was no longer a refugee, the French authorities were swift to seize her when she attempted to return to the United Kingdom. The English authorities were quick to apply for an extradition, and after a gruelling week and a half, they were given their wish.
But the French authorities were taking no chances - Pearl was under heavy guard from the moment she left her cell to the moment she touched down on English soil, and the English authorities, having learned their lesson, made sure Pearl was just as heavily guarded when they took her from the airport to the cell where she'd await trial. A rotating guard was posted on her 24/7 to make sure she couldn't try any of her old tricks, and any outside influences she might have used were barred from making contact with her.
The trial took place two months later, and I admitted to nerves as I sat in front of the computer that morning. I feared for my safety, and had opted to give my testimony remotely. That didn't stop the fear from resurfacing as Pearl glared at me from the other side of the screen, her eyes spitting fire. But I refused to let her scorching glare get the better of me, and when my turn came, I gave my testimony unflinchingly. Pearl's face grew darker and darker with every word I spoke, but I didn't let her anger stop me, and when I was done, I was shaking, but relieved. There were still a whole host of witnesses to come, and each of them would give a testimony that would see Pearl put behind bars for good, or at least, so I hoped.
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The trial went on for a month and a half, due to the number of witnesses, and as I waited for the judge to give their verdict - again done from the relative safety of my packhouse - I wondered what sort of sentence Pearl would get, and how they'd manage to ensure she'd serve out her term. She'd escaped custody too many times before; she'd need unbreakable protections ringed around her at all times to make sure she'd stay put, and I didn't have a lot of faith in the jail system, not when Pearl had proven how flimsy her prisons had been before.
Still, it was an immense relief to see her sentenced to life without parole, and I let out a huge sigh as the judge dismissed her. Pearl's face was a study in anger and disbelief as she was led away, and though I was relieved to see her finally get the justice she deserved, I had the horrible feeling the story was far from over.
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