Chapter Text
“You need to get to Lewis’s motorhome now. A VIP tried to get Albon into a car and drive off with him.”
Those words keep ringing in Ollie’s head, even once he gets to Lewis’s motorhome. They only start to quiet and slow once he’s deep in Kimi’s arms, his Alpha murmuring comfort in Italian and English, nuzzling Ollie. Ollie can't smell him though, because this is the paddock, and he yearns to soak himself in his Alpha’s scent. He understands why he can't, especially after what’s happened, but he still keens in distress.
“The moment this is over, we are going back to the hotel,” Kimi promises him with total quiet intent.
Ollie nods in want and relief, and Lando hugs up against his side and nuzzles him
“We all will,” he promises. “I think we'll all end up in the same room after this.”
Oscar squeezes Ollie’s arm next and leans in for a quick nuzzle before Lando moves out of the way after a final hug and Franco gets to cuddle up to Ollie’s side. Ollie lets out a breath, his eyes closing in relief. He’s got the two Alphas who are most important to him close again. Whatever happens, this feels like he’s going to be okay.
His eyes pop open, as Kimi moves the three of them to sit down on a sofa, “Is everyone else…Are they okay? Did they get the message?”
Lando nods immediately, staying close, “Max, Carlos and George are with Alex while he talks with the FIA. Charles is walking laps of the paddock with Pierre, being distracting so that all the other Omegas can get here.”
“Apart from Fernando and Lance,” interjects Oscar, as his phone buzzes and he slides it out of his pocket to check the screen. Whatever he sees makes him smile immediately, “It’s Mark.”
He slides his thumb over the screen and holds the phone in front of him, “You’re on speaker.”
“You and Lando are still in Lewis’s motor?” Mark Webber asks. “Nothing’s out in the press yet but I’ve told your Dam and I’ve got hold of yours too, Lando.”
Lando grins, “Thanks, Mark.”
“We’re still here. Ollie’s just turned up, and we’ve got Kimi and Franco,” Oscar reports smoothly. “We’ve heard from everyone else. All the Omegas are coming here, apart from Lance and Fernando.”
“Of course,” Mark sounds affectionate. “Lawrence’ll have his pup locked up behind so much security, it’ll make the FIA piss themselves. And I saw Jenson’s message.”
Ollie gropes through his own pockets to get to his phone, he’s clearly missed a lot of talk during his quick disguised journey through the paddock after he got the group chat message summoning him here. There are a lot of messages, he tries to read them all carefully, he doesn’t want to miss anything else. Okay, Jenson has said he’s taking care of Fernando, they’re in the paddock still in their shared motorhome. No one’s currently allowed to leave the paddock, because of what’s happened, and Ollie knows from his pre-season briefs with the pack’s leaders that while Fernando is part of the pack, he prefers to get his stabilising comfort from his Mate and from his friends outside of the pack. He’s been friendly and encouraging to Ollie whenever Ollie’s talked to him and seems completely fine with joining in with pack touches.
Kimi says in his ear, “I’ve messaged your Sire and Dam. We should send a photo.”
Ollie nods quickly and snuggles closer to Kimi, kissing his cheek. He can feel his teddy bear pendant move under his clothes as the two Alphas arrange themselves around him for a reassuring smiley photo that they’re going to send to all of their Sires.
“Thank you,” Ollie tells his Mate, with heartfelt gratitude.
He absolutely doesn’t want his Sire or Dam to read a story about all Omegas being in danger at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, without any details about those Omegas’ well-being. Not that Ollie himself knows any details yet.
“The babies are just sending proof of life to their Sires and Dams,” Lando states, with affectionate amusement and pride.
“Good call,” says Mark with approval. “Sit tight everyone, okay? And don’t go anywhere alone with anyone employed by the FIA or with anyone who says they’re a guest on the VIP list. I’m serious, we’re lucky this hasn’t happened in years.”
Lando makes a face, “I’m so glad I wasn’t around back then.”
“Saudi’s one of the worst places for it too,” Mark states grimly. “Back in my day, Seb had to deal with a lot of wandering hands and people inviting him to private parties.”
“He didn’t go though, did he?” Lando looks like he’s trying to remember how this story goes.
“He never went to anyone’s private home. And if he went to parties that weren’t sponsor events, he always had a chaperone. He was lucky he was that smart, a lot of Alphas out there were rabid for him.”
Sebastian had been Unmated while he was World Champion, Ollie remembers. He also remembers how crazy fans had gone for Sebastian during that time. He and Kimi had become more than friends pretty late on in their careers.
“I don’t know how encouraging that is in this situation,” Oscar muses.
His manager laughs, “Basically do what Seb did, use the buddy system. And go nowhere that isn’t a venue of some kind. He had the right idea. Where are the other pack pups?”
“Gabriel’s with Hulk, Yuki and Liam have Isack, and Jack is with the rest of the Alphas rounding up the Omegas and making sure the reserve drivers are safe with their teams,” Lando supplies promptly.
Ollie feels relief drop through him, wherever the other pack Omegas are, they’re being looked after by the pack’s Alphas, or they will be soon.
“You should get some more senior Alphas in that motorhome though,” Mark tells them all. “No offense to Kimi and Franco.”
“None taken,” Franco tells him. “I would like some more senior pack here too.”
“I’ll message around to see how much longer they’re going to be,” Lando says, already tapping at his phone.
Ollies watches him and Oscar, realising that they both probably really want some senior Alphas in here for comfort and grounding. Carlos is with Alex and the others and Logan is probably with the other Alphas helping find the other pack Omegas. It’s lucky he was visiting this race weekend.
“Has anyone told Daniel what’s happening?” asks Kimi suddenly. “Max went straight to the FIA offices.”
Lando points at him, “No, good point. The media obviously don’t know yet, otherwise we’d all be getting a lot more calls. Has everyone checked in with their team principals?”
Ollie quickly sends a message to Ayeo, confirming where he is and that no one he passed in the paddock on the way here asked him where was going or said about anything about what had happened to Alex. Ayeo answers pretty quickly, glad that Ollie is safe with pack, including Alphas, and asks what the pack plans to do next.
“Ayeo wants to know what we’re going to do next,” Ollie relays to Lando. “I assume he means after Alex is out of the FIA offices?”
“I don’t think the plan is to stay here all night,” offers Oscar.
Lando grins and pushes Oscar playfully, “Definitely not, Lewis is going to book a bunch of vehicles to take us straight to the hotel.”
That sounds great. Relieved, Ollie dutifully tells his Team Principal as Mark tells Oscar to check in with him regularly and that he’ll see everyone back at the hotel later before he hangs up. Kimi and Franco are finishing their own text messages, when there’s voices outside and the door opens. Logan and Nico come in very quickly and close the door behind them.
Logan immediately hugs Oscar, then cups his face with both hands to look at him properly, “You’re okay?”
Oscar nods, his eyes and smile are especially bright now, “I’m good, thanks.”
“We’re better now,” Lando adds with a bright smile, cuddled up against Nico’s chest.
“Very happy to be here and help,” Nico replies, before smiling over at Ollie’s group. “Good job, Kimi and Franco. It’s a lot to deal with, all this panic and emotion and being the only Alphas in the room.”
“It’s not been a panicked room,” Kimi replies.
“Not at all,” agrees Franco.
Nico smiles approvingly at them, “And that’s partly down to you. There are Alphas who would panic or resent being told to stay here. You’ve kept calm and that helps, believe me. You’ve helped senior Omegas as well as your own.”
Ollie blushes a bit, because Nico is…well, Nico. Lando has said before that Nico always looks like he’s ready for the red carpet and it’s true. Right now, he’s in one of his tailored pairs of pale grey trousers with an ice-blue button-down shirt. It’s the sort of thing he wears on camera when he’s working as a pundit and it’s also the kind of style he wears when he comes from business meetings to see the pack. He’s always so relaxed and charming, but never like it’s an act. Ollie has met plenty of Alphas who are charming only to a point, because they want something. Nico is just always charming and he means it. Ollie finds it a bit overwhelming and flustering, honestly, to be the focus of that kind of powerful Alpha attention, even when it’s genuinely platonic. He doesn’t always know what to say.
Nico walks over to them now, comfortable with Lando still beside him, and shakes hands with Kimi and Franco with quick nuzzlings after before gently hugging Ollie and nuzzling him briefly. He doesn’t linger, just smiles at Ollie and doesn’t make Ollie feel bad. Ollie wishes he could thank him properly, without blushing so much or getting his words wrong.
Kimi squeezes him closer and kisses his cheek, he knows how Ollie feels, even with their scents blocked. They’ve talked about it,
“Is it bad that I was not thinking about that?” Franco muses out loud to Nico. “About being calm for Lando and Oscar? I was most worried about Ollie when I heard what had happened.”
Ollie nuzzles Franco and feels Kimi reach past him to briefly but firmly grip Franco’s arm. Ollie is so lucky to have these two as his little personal pack. Lando smiles in response and Nico shakes his head.
“It’s not bad at all. You think Max wasn’t one of Hulk and Checo’s first priorities when they heard the news? Or that Logan didn’t think about Lando, and Carlos didn’t think about Oscar and Charles? These are the bonds we have. They are not Mating bonds, but that doesn’t make them unimportant. They are vital too, they are pack.”
“I’d worry about you,” Ollie tells Franco sincerely.
“Me too,” adds Kimi.
Franco smiles, clearly pleased, and Ollie and Kimi both reach for him as there’s a smart knock at the door. It can’t be a pack member, they’d just walk in. But Nico doesn’t look worried, he strides over to open the door a crack. Lando peels off away from him to settle with Logan and Oscar on a sofa. Logan nuzzles him and keeps him as close as he keeps his Mate. Oscar and Lando reach for each other without any kind of signal, their fingers intertwining. Ollie smiles, he doesn’t know Logan at all but the Alpha looks relaxed and very content with the two Omegas, and they look so content with him.
Nico closes the door again, having brought in several cardboard boxes. He’s beaming now, “Lewis has the security team milling around outside. They’re taking up a position outside this motorhome right now because the news still hasn’t broken in the paddock. Hopefully it will after the FIA finishes the meeting and we’re all in the hotel. But they’re here just in case and they brought snacks and more.”
After he waits for and gets a nod from Lando, Nico flips open the lid of the nearest cardboard box and pulls out packets that he throws neatly to Oscar and Lando. He turns to Ollie’s group apologetically.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know your favourites yet. But there’s plenty of good things here, the sort of snacks that most of the pack Omegas like.”
Franco squeezes Ollie’s shoulder, “I’ll see what’s there.”
He slips away from Ollie’s side and Kimi settles his arms back around Ollie, his thumb rubbing at Ollie’s hip. Ollie tucks himself against his Alpha and wishes again that he was surrounded by Kimi’s scent. But he has Kimi with him, Lando hasn’t got Carlos and Nico hasn’t got Lewis or George with him. He watches as Nico and Franco chat over the box, Nico clapping him on the shoulder. He doesn’t stare at Franco’s bare wrist, he treats Franco unquestioningly like an Alpha. Ollie’s seen Nico treat Franco just like an Omega too when its appropriate. He’s so glad that he, Franco and Kimi ended up in F1 at this time, with this pack.
He feels Kimi’s mouth against his temple, “Thoughts?”
“I was thinking I’m glad we’re driving at this time, with this pack,” Ollie confides quietly. “It feels like the best for us.”
Kimi’s gaze flicks over the room and he nods. He’s spent more time with Nico, because of Nico’s Mercedes connection, and has told Ollie that he’s learned a lot. Nico, George and Lewis all deal with the media in very different ways and prepare for races just as differently but Kimi has found it all helpful.
Franco comes back to their sofa with a few packets of crisps and chocolate pretzels and little packages of flapjacks. He sits beside Ollie and pats his knee.
“You choose first.”
Ollie grabs some pretzels and some crisps and offers them both to Kimi once he’s opened the packets. Kimi smiles and shakes his head, his hand covering Ollie’s.
“You first.”
Ollie warms and nods, eating a handful of pretzels. He wonders if he can sneak a packet back to the hotel. Kimi has a thing for kissing Ollie after Ollie’s eaten something sweet, especially chocolate.
“Can I ask?” Franco addresses the room. “What has actually happened? I only know someone tried to drive off with Alex?”
And Alex was part of his team. Ollie makes a comforting sound and Kimi leaves a hand on Franco’s shoulder.
“Ah, okay, so practice was done and Alex had finished his media stuff and his team debrief. He was in the paddock and someone from the FIA, or they said they were from the FIA, who knows, came and got him and said there were some Saudi VIPs who specifically wanted to meet him,” Lando pauses to pull a face before continuing, “Alex says he thought the VIPs just wanted pictures with whichever drivers they could find.”
Lando takes another longer pause, his expression darkening, and Logan and Oscar both make comforting noises. Because, along with George, Lando’s known Alex the longest. The three of them were known for their friendship for ages, until who they Mated became more interesting to the media. This must be so hard for Lando. Ollie tries not to think about how he’d feel if it was Franco who was nearly taken away to who knows where.
“So he goes with the FIA guy, some of Alex’s team went too, though apparently the FIA guy kept trying to say it was fine, this was all FIA approved, they didn’t need to come. They stuck with Alex though, thankfully, and the VIPs, they took photos with Alex and they were talking about a party and like, moving him towards a car. They got really close, the door was open. Their security blocked Alex from his team but Alex managed to fight and shove his way back to his team. They got him back to the Williams motorhome until Alex had talked to Lewis and Max. He didn’t go anywhere until they went to find him with George.”
Lando is pressed tightly against Logan by now, his expression very dark. Oscar is shaking his head. Ollie presses against Kimi.
Nico says something in German and shakes his head too, “Alex was very lucky.”
“George thinks Alex is going to have bruises on his arms and legs,” Lando murmurs. “They really wouldn’t let go of him. It was like, this had been decided and he had to do what he was told. Like he had no reason to say no.”
“He didn’t think Lewis and Max had-.”
“No, no way,” Lando cuts off Nico immediately. “And he knows this is nothing to do with Lilly. I’ve messaged her, there’s no way she can get to Saudi. She’s going to meet us in Monaco.”
Ollie feels Kimi shift a fraction closer. Maybe he’s thinking about being like Lily, far away from her Mate and not able to physically be there for him. Ollie murmurs a comforting sound to his Mate, nuzzling and accepting the snacks that Kimi presses into his hand. Yeah, he really does need to eat.
“How is Alex?” Franco asks, his gaze intent on Lando.
“Last I heard, he was shaken up and bruised but that’s it. George couldn’t send me anything else before their meeting with the FIA started.”
Ollie is incredibly glad that Alex isn’t alone dealing with this. He’s got three pack members with him and probably his team. Who knows what the FIA is saying to him, the VIP could be someone important to the FIA for sponsorship reasons or something to do with racing in Saudi. Ollie shivers, he’s heard stories about what life in the sport used to be like for Omegas and he knows it’s gotten better. But things like this just show that there’s always people who don’t want things to change and seem to ignore anything that has changed.
“Alex,” he explains when Kimi checks in with him.
His Mate nods, “He’s not alone.”
Exactly, Ollie nods, “I wish everyone, this shouldn’t be happening.”
Kimi nods and Ollie can feel Franco nodding too. “Lewis has been pushing about this for many years, the FIA do not like him putting a spotlight on the countries we race in who have different cultures for Omegas.”
Right, yeah, of course, Ollie can imagine. He’s so glad that Lewis keeps pushing, “But he keeps pushing.”
“He does, so does George.”
It feels more complicated than it should. “This should be easy.”
“I agree. It’s all too political.”
More of the pack starts to make their way to the motorhome. Jack has an update on what everyone else is doing. He obviously decides to sit near Franco when he’s done, squeezing Franco’s hand and nuzzling him briefly once Franco gives him a nod, before doing the same to Ollie and Kimi. Franco smiles at him, pleased to see him and asks what is happening in the paddock. Jack has made no secret of how he feels about Franco and Franco has been equally honest about the time and space he needs right now while he is getting comfortable with his gender fluidity. Jack has been absolutely respecting that and showing no interest in anyone else either, though there’s been plenty of interest in him from throughout the paddock.
He also came to talk to Kimi and Ollie privately about Franco, when he felt he was getting mixed messages before formally declaring his interest to Franco. He already knew about Franco’s gender self-discovery and had told Kimi and Ollie that he’d dated both Omegas and Alphas before, though never anyone who was openly gender fluid. Kimi had told him that he had to understand that Franco was still discovering everything that gender fluidity meant to him and that Franco wasn’t going to have all of the answers. And that Kimi and Ollie were Franco’s pack, that was also important to Franco.
Jack hadn’t laughed or joked once. He’d nodded and said he wanted to support Franco through it all, he wanted to spend time with Franco, and that he was really glad that even if Franco didn’t want to date him right now, he wasn’t going through this alone.
Jack’s been true to his word, he never sits next to Franco or touches him without seeking permission first. He remains Franco’s favourite sleep companion, besides Ollie and Kimi, though Franco has privately worried to Ollie that he could be leading Jack on, touching him like a pack member, enjoying his company but still not dating him. Ollie had pointed out that Franco had been honest with Jack and Jack was still here, not pushing Franco about any of it. Even if they don’t ever date, he’s proven that he’ll respect Franco’s boundaries.
Yuki comes in looking worried, hand in hand with Liam who is the most serious that Ollie has ever seen him but he still personally checks on every Omega in the motorhome, finishing with Lando so he can have a talk with him. Isack slips in after them, looking very concerned. Nico makes sure that everyone gets snacks and checks in with Lando frequently. Charles comes in looking absolutely stunning in a black maxi skirt with a red lace overlay, and a black cap-sleeve shirt with a long jacket around his shoulders that flutters behind him like a cape as he moves. His black matte tights and modest peep-toe shoes make sure that every glimpse of skin from his ankles to his feet is covered. He’s obeying the country’s strict rules about Omega clothing but he’s still wearing a full face of make-up and diamond and ruby earrings. Ollie thinks that Charles is making a statement, in his own amazing way; that he can cover up as the country wants but that he can also still wear the style that he wants. It’s a really different way to protest, Ollie likes it.
Pierre is a step behind him, in dark jeans and a beautiful button-down over a t-shirt, and with a smile on his face. His eyes go to Yuki first and he relaxes, as his gaze counts off the other Omegas. Ollie can’t help smiling, he feels so protected. There’s so many Alphas here, concerned about the pack Omegas.
Charles is talking to Lando, “Oh my God, I think several Alphas here wanted to jump at me with a sheet but they had no reason to. I am obedient under their laws. I also want to dress however I want to and my Mate approves.”
Ollie checks on Kimi, aware now of how little space there now is in this motorhome room, “Are you okay with all the people here?”
Kimi nods briefly, smiling genuinely at Ollie, “I'm not going anywhere else.”
That's not an answer. Ollie persists, worried, “But are you okay?”
Kimi kisses him gently, one hand stroking Ollie’s side. Ollie wants to melt but he also wants to know the answer.
“I am worried about Alex and the Omegas who are not here. But being in this room with everyone, I am fine. This does not happen every day.”
That's true, thankfully. Still, Ollie nuzzles his Mate comfortingly. Kimi hates being forced to be tactile and close to people. He needs a lot of breathing room, apart from with Ollie and Franco.
Lando is making his way round the room, checking on everyone with a touch at least and conversation. He looks everyone in the eye with a warm smile. It's really reassuring to watch. When he gets near Ollie, there's a chime from Lando's phone that transforms Lando’s face into surprise. The surprise turns to annoyance as he reads the message. He calls for attention and then points at Logan who whistles sharply, causing everyone to go quiet.
“Papa Sainz says the Spanish media are reporting there’s an important meeting happening with the FIA and they’ve named the drivers involved,” he tells the room.
Everyone starts checking their phones, the word is out on social media. Everyone’s following the Spanish’s trail. According to Lando, it won’t be long before someone finds out what almost happened to Alex. Now that the media know there’s something to find out, they’ll find it, especially since other people in the paddock already know about it. Even if the press don’t find out until much later, the drivers are going to endlessly be asked what the meeting’s about.
“We need those cars now,” Lando concludes.