105

105
Isla’s POV

“Olga, please take care of Carrie,” I said as she took Carrie from me. There was no way I was going to miss seeing that old hag get what she finally deserved.
Olga soothed Carrie as she begun to cry and I felt a stab of guilt hit me as I watched Olga walk away with Carrie. But this was not a place for Carrie to be right now and I wanted to have my say at this trial.
“Isla, what are you doing?” Aaron called me through the mind link, but I refused to be turned away. I knew that he would sense me straight away.
“Do not stand in my way,” I told my alpha mate, and he sighed, realising that arguing was pointless.
“Isla, my dear child.” my mother rushed to me with open arms, and I hugged her back. Today was going to be interesting, that was for sure.
As we quickly took our seats, Mrs. Jenkins was escorted into the room. She looked different now, her haughty demeanour replaced with a weariness that spoke to the weight of her crimes. But I knew better than to let her facade fool me. She was still dangerous, still capable of causing harm. That's why she needed to be held accountable for her actions.
The judge entered, their gaze stern. It was time for the trial to begin, for the truth to be laid bare for all to see. I took my place at the prosecution table, surrounded by the evidence we had compiled, ready to present our case to the court.
As the trial unfolded, witness after witness took the stand, painting a picture of Mrs Jenkins' deceit and cruelty. The hybrids shared their experiences, recounting the pain they had endured, the powers they had lost, and the lives that had been shattered.
I would not allow Mrs. Jenkins to escape the consequences of her actions. I would not allow her to harm any more innocent lives. No matter what it took, I would protect my pack, especially the hybrids who had suffered so greatly at her hands.
Soon, I rose to my feet, my voice steady and robust as I summarised the evidence. I walked the jury through the intricate web of Mrsa Jenkins' crimes, connecting each piece to form a damning portrait of her guilt. I explained how she had taken me in, and that is how I had met Sasha. We realised how crazy this lady was and escaped, only to discover she was holding dark secrets. I felt for Emma as she relived her whole ordeal of losing her mother. How Alpha Ethan of Marrows had been told his mate had been killed when, in reality, she was imprisoned by the evil Jenkins. The list was endless. My mother standing on that stand made it harder to contain my anger. Jenkins had messed with the wrong kind.
I spoke of the trust that had been broken, the lives that had been lost, and the pain that had been inflicted upon the hybrids. But most importantly, I spoke of resilience and unity, of a pack that had come together in the face of adversity, refusing to be crushed by Mrs Jenkins' reign of terror.
As I finished my closing statements, the courtroom fell into a heavy silence. I looked around, my gaze meeting the eyes of the jury, willing them to see the truth, the pain that Mrs Jenkins had caused and the importance of holding her accountable.
The judge called for a recess, and the courtroom emptied in a flurry of whispers and hushed conversations. I retreated to a quiet corner with Ethan, needing a moment to collect my thoughts to ground myself before the final verdict.
"Isla," Ethan said gently, his hands resting on my shoulders. "You've done everything you could. No matter the outcome, know that you fought with everything you had. You protected our pack."
I looked into his eyes, feeling a mixture of gratitude and exhaustion. He was right. I had fought with everything within me, and now it was up to the jury to deliver the final verdict. I took a deep breath, finding renewed determination within me.
When the trial resumed, I watched as the jury filed back into the courtroom. Their faces were impassive, their judgment uncertain. The tension in the room was palpable, each second feeling like an eternity as we awaited their decision.
The judge addressed the jury, instructing them on the charges against Mrs Jenkins and the gravity of the crimes she was accused of. The room held its breath as the verdict was read out loud.
"We, the jury, find the defendant, Mrs. Jenkins, guilty on all counts."
"Mrs Jenkins," the judge began, their voice carrying the weight of authority, "considering the gravity of your crimes and the immeasurable pain you have inflicted upon the hybrids, I hereby sentence you to life in solitary confinement without the possibility of parole."
A ripple of satisfaction swept through the room, mingling with the relief that justice had been served. The hybrids, who had faced nightmares and isolation due to Mrs Jenkins' actions, finally felt a glimmer of peace, knowing that she would never again be able to threaten their lives or take away their powers.
“No. You stupid fools. I am innocent.” Mrs Jenkins proceeded to scream as she was led away, her eyes filled with a mixture of defeat and fury; I could see that she still held on to her delusions of dominance. But the truth was that she had been held accountable for her crimes. The walls of her solitary cell would be a constant reminder of her wrongdoing, symbolising the victory of justice over evil.
I stepped out of the courtroom, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. The battle had been won, but the war against injustice and cruelty was far from over. Mrs Jenkins might have been sentenced, but there were still others like her out there, preying on the vulnerable and causing harm.
“Isla, you did well in there. I'm so proud of you. Please know that I am so proud of you for everything you did to make this happen.” Emma rushed to me and threw her arms around my neck. “I just want to thank you for everything before I leave and be with Ethan,” she said, dabbing at her teary eyes.
“Oh, Emma. I am going to miss you.” I sighed sadly, but I was happy that she would be okay and had her mate by her side.
Glancing over my shoulder, I felt Aarons's presence.
“My Luna, you did so well,” he whispered in my ear and kissed my cheeks. I rested my head on his shoulder and smiled.