Ch 14 Rock Bottom

That's rock bottom, when this life makes you mad enough to kill. That's rock bottom when you want something bad enough to to steal. -Eminem

Rowen

Letia and Collin have always kept to themselves. I don't think Letia likes all of us very much. Sure their family comes to bonfires and pack gatherings, but they don't just hang out for

no reason like everybody else does, so when I see them at the door with their 3 year old son Cole and an older Hispanic gentleman I'm pretty surprised. My Dad says hello to group

and lead them into the living room as my mother brings in a tray with coffee and cookies. "This is Manuelo, he's Letia's father. He's visiting from California for Cole's birthday. Manuelo

this is my daughter Rowen and her friend Reina Alvarez, Sam Uley's niece." Daddy says introducing us to the man beside Letia and Collin. Cole is running his cars along the carpet

making engine sounds happily. Maybe Cole and Malinah should have play dates. "Hola." He says with a smile extending his hand to us both. This is definitely Ray's department. I say

hello and take the old man's hand before Ray speaks up. "I'm from California too, East LA actually. The weather up here is kind of a shock huh?" Reina says with a smile. He laughs

and agrees saying something about the cold and rain. He raises his coffee mug and I notice a familiar tattoo on his hand. "Diablos Morosos!" Ray gasps beside me.

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Manuelo places his cup on the coaster and looks up. "¿Cómo sé acerca de esa niña? (how do you know about that little girl)" He says glaring at her. I really wish there were

subtitles. I'm only in Spanish 1. All we've learned is colors and numbers! "My brother's in it, and my tio, and abuelo (grandfather), and bisabuelo (great grandfather) before him." She

says glaring back. "Alvarez, you couldn't be Ricardo's nieta (granddaughter)?" He asks. She shakes her head yes. "Your grandfather was my mentor, so to speak. He trained me and

then I trained Esteban. How is Esteban doing?" He laughs happily, but everyone else is sort of in shock. Letia looks into her coffee cup like it's the most interesting thing in the world.

She had to of seen Diego's tattoo and known what it was. I knew I saw her stiffen when Calla asked about it that day we went shopping! She knew and didn't say anything? Why?

Maybe she could have helped him!"He's fine, he runs it now. He also holds people against their will and threatens to kill their family if he doesn't get what he wants." Ray says

venomously. "I'm just going to take Cole into the kitchen I don't think this is appropriate for him to hear." Letia says quickly standing up, picking up her son, and fleeing into the

kitchen. "What do you mean nina?" The old man says. "He forced my brother back to LA saying if he didn't come on his own he'd kill me and my sister and then drag him back." She

spits. I look around the room and notice Collin is acting odd. Collin he looks like he would rather be in a room full of leeches than here right now. Letia obviously had to of told him

about Diego's connection with her father. They're imprints they have no secrets. He catches me staring and hangs his head. I'm about to say something when Manuelo speaks up

again. "I'm sorry nina. That's why I got out, too much hate. They latch onto any happiness you might have and try to use it against you for their own benefit. Even though it is

supposed to be a brotherhood a family, it's not at all. Once Letia came along I knew I was done with the Diablos. I got a good job and moved my family out of the area. I didn't want

that life for my mija. It consumes you. They promise these young boys protection, money for their family, but they don't realize they are signing their life away. I will do my best to try

to get him out of it. I don't want any more families ripped apart over this. Let me make a call, Esteban owes me a favor." The man says standing up reaching into his pocket for his

phone. I hope he can make something happen. Reina nods her head and thanks the old man as he steps out to make the call. That may be enough for her, but it's not for me.

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"You knew! You knew the whole time that he might be able to help Diego and you didn't say anything!" I yell at Collin who looks up from his shoes. "Rowen!" My mom warns but I

ignore her. "Yes I knew, Letia mentioned it a few months ago when all you girls went shopping." He says I currently feel the need to find Letia and tare her a new one. Diego could be

here right now with me if she had said something! I turn on my heel and storm towards the kitchen. "He could be here right now! Why didn't you say something? You could have

helped him! He didn't have to be torn away from me, I mean his family." I yell quickly recovering. Everyone but Letia's dad has followed me into the kitchen. Collin is growling at me for

yelling at his imprint and my dad is growling at him for growling at me. Mom takes Cole by the hand and takes him outside to play in our old sandbox. Reina's just looking between

Letia and me, wondering what's going to happen. "What was I supposed to do? If I would have put my neck out for him the Diablos could have come up here for my family too. I'm

not risking my husband and child for some punk off the street. I have to think about my family." She hisses back at me. My head reels and I start to shake giving some of the wolf

boys a run for their money. "He's part of this pack that makes him family. Whether you want him to be or not he's part of your family now!" I yell back. "He will never be my family. I

know his type. Poor kid living in the slums with no father figure, in and out of jail, steals anything he can get his hands on." She laughs bitterly. My head snaps up to tell her how much

of a bitch she's being, but Reina steps in. "You think you're so much better than us huh? You want to judge my brother when your father was exactly the same way? You think your

dad never stole anything? You think he's never been to jail? Ask him I bet he'll tell you some stuff you don't want to hear. Yes we're poor and our dad ran out on us when we were

little. Is that Diego's fault? Yes he's been to jail and stole stuff, but only to make sure our family never went hungry. I wouldn't expect you to understand what packing four people

into a one bedroom apartment feels like. Do you know Diego hasn't had a real bed since he turned six? Ya he's been sleeping on the floor since he was six so me and my mom could

have a bed. When she died a year ago he had to take care of me and my little sister all by himself. You've never hit rock bottom. You have no idea what my brother goes through,

what we go through. So I never want to hear talk shit about my brother again!" She seethes. Letia looks shocked. I guess she didn't expect little Reina to call her out. "Collin we are

leaving now. I'll meet you in the car" She says stomping towards the door. Collin walks outside to the backyard to get Cole.

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I look at Reina who's still bubbling with anger. "You sure told her!" I laugh which causes her to laugh. "Well that is not how I thought meeting Collin's father in law was going to go."

My mom says walking back in the kitchen door taking a seat at the table. "I'm sorry mom I know Letia's your friend but she just" I start to apologize before my mom cuts in. "Don't

worry about it sweetheart. Letia has always kind of been a stuck up bitch. We just put up with her because she's an imprint." She says running her fingers through her hair. "I'm not

ok with either of you girls yelling at an imprint and it should never happen again no matter how out of line she was. Reina, Letia shouldn't have brought up your father skipping out on

you. It was a low blow and I'm sorry. Rowen you're right Diego is part of this pack whether he accepts it or not, which makes him family. Family sticks together. He is as much of a

pack brother as any other wolf." Daddy says sitting at the table with a sigh. "God baby girl you sure did get your mother's temper. For a second I thought you were going to pick

something up and throw it at her." Daddy says laughing. I catch my mother's eye and she just shrugs making the whole kitchen erupt in laughter.

A/N: Special thanks to obsession_iz_a_good_thing for the review. I'm sorry its wasn't Diggy at the door. lol Keep the theories and reviews coming people ! Also special thanks to all the people that added me to your favs since my last update. You all get high fives and popsicles :) Hooray for nice weather and updates!