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Lando whimpered quietly to himself, he had stopped the car in Parc Ferme after the end of the United States Grand Prix, he looked around trying to spot the other papaya orange car. He could feel the anxiety within him surge to the front of his mind no longer being focused on driving his car around the twisty track and instead wanting to find his Alphas.
“And remember to switch off the engine, that’s P6 mate wonderful drive” Lando whined quietly again, “Will? Where did Daniel finish?” It was silent as he waited for the engineer to respond. “P16” Lando shrunk into himself, knowing that his alpha wouldn’t be happy with that result especially here, on this track. The track that, apart from Albert Park he loved the most.
He pulled himself up and out of the car letting his mechanics get the coolers onto the brakes, they slapped him on the back, congratulating him on the points which, this season, were difficult to bring home. He looked around again hoping to at least spot his other mate waiting by the FIA weighbridge for Dan to return, instead the only thing he could see was in the distance another empty papaya car surrounded by mechanics.
The anxiety was tugging painfully at his chest, pulling off his helmet he entered the FIA garage. Waiting to be weighed he stood behind Sebastian, a fellow omega on the grid and also the pack omega, Lando shifted his weight between each leg restlessly. Still looking around trying to spot a glimpse of dark curls and papaya clothes, he missed the older omega having noticed his presence and jumped hissing slightly at whoever had touched him.
His raised hackles, dropped quickly when he saw that it was his pack omega and instead let out a small whine of distress. “Come here” Lando let himself be pulled into the older omega's chest taking in some comfort. “Dan and Michael have gone back to his motorhome, Michael told media to, in politer words leave them alone and told me to tell you to go find them”
Lando sighed, relaxing slightly now knowing that both of his alphas were safe and waiting for him. The bond between the three was not yet even a year old, the two alphas having only bitten the younger omega during the 2021 winter break. The alphas had taken him to his apartment in Monaco, where they had been together for over a week seeing out Lando’s heat before letting the bond settle, both alphas becoming incredibly protective over him during the weeks after he had been given their marks.
Despite the connection, he couldn’t figure out how Dan was feeling, logically he knew that both of his alphas blocked the bond before each session so that no one could distract the other, he himself did it and so did everyone else on the grid. Still, the fear and adrenaline running through him made him forget.
Lando rushed through the FIA process shoving the piece of paper that held his weight and his racing gear into Jon’s hands, who already knew where his charge was in such a rush to go. The omega knocked on Daniel’s motorhome door waiting for it to be unlocked, he could smell the scent of burnt pine indicating the anger that Dan was radiating, he could also smell Michael's comforting scent of gentle mint getting closer to unlock the door and allow the omega to enter.
The larger Australian alpha sent Lando a comforting smile, being able to smell the underlying scent of anxiety that was coating Lando’s usual lemon scent. He gestured for him to come in, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, “Your heats coming soon?” A nod confirmed the alphas suspicions who just held him tighter, “Dans in the shower, he’s only just got in”
Hearing his other alphas' name made him whine, the scent of pure anger beginning to overwhelm him, “I wish I could help him more…”
“I know little one, we both do but we’re doing everything we can” Michael directed him to the bed, gently moving his head into the crook of his neck. Lando settled down, the scent of his alpha calming down the anxiety that had been pressing at him. The omega giggled slightly as Michael pushed him over so that the alpha was on top of him blocking him in. Lando giggled again before letting out a needy whine as Michael began scenting him.
A knock at the motorhome door interrupted them from their little bubble, Michael growled before shouting out to whoever was waiting “Who is it?”
“Lauren, Lando needs to come and do interviews. Daniel will need to as well.”
Michael rolled his eyes leaving Lando in the bed to go and open the door allowing the press manager in. Before anyone could get the wrong idea of what had been happening he rolled off the mattress and straightened out his t-shirt running his hand through his hair. “Hey Lauren, Dans still in the shower I’m sure Mikey will bring him once he’s ready.”
Lauren nodded, turning on her heel expecting him to follow her, Michael growled under his breath at the silent command the beta had given not liking anyone to order his omega around, Lando looked at him challengingly and rested a hand on Michael's arm placating him.
He followed Lauren out of the motorhome, making sure his hat was on properly before he was herded into the press pen ready to give interviews. The questions were always the same, “Did Omegas belong in F1?” “Would he obey his alpha if he was told to move over?”
“When would he be leaving his seat for an alpha?”
Normally, Dan was near him to growl at the reporters when the questions got too bad but now there was no one, he’d hurt his alpha by doing so well while the alpha himself was struggling and then taking Michael's attention from him. He bit his lip, bunching the fabric of the McLaren jacket in his fist as the same questions were repeated, over and over and over again forcing him into a spiral of despair and anxiety. A spiral he didn’t know if he could get out of alone.
He was able to escape the press after giving short, snarky answers to the questions being held back from rolling his eyes and growling by the piercing glare Lauren had sent him. He hadn’t been to everyone but there wouldn’t be any trouble. Sky was happy.
He was scolded as they walked away, “You can’t keep doing that Lando. It’s not good for McLaren’s image”
Growling he spoke back, “What’s not good for McLarens image is their PRESS officer not stopping those stupid fucking questions! I thought McLaren were all for omega equality, well it doesn’t seem like it!” He stormed away from the beta not realising that Andreas was standing in his path until he bumped into him.
With the force of hitting into the calmer beta, Lando found himself on the floor looking up at his team principal. Andreas shook his head helping the omega back onto his feet, “We’ll speak about this again, go calm down” He was gently pushed back into the direction of the motorhome where he’d heard Michael had taken Dan back after having completed the essential interviews with Sky and F1 TV.
He walked into the motorhome and could hear both of his alphas in the bathroom, he couldn’t hear what either was saying the sound of the shower running blocking out most of the sound, he looked around noticing Michael’s hoodie hanging over the back of the sofa.
Now that he was tucked away from the prying eyes of the media, the growing anxiety along with his upcoming heat began to overtake him. He let out a whine as his breathing became faster, the omega pulled the hoodie on tucking his nose into the fabric and inhaling Michaels's scent which was mixed with Dan's.
Lando had curled himself up in the corner of the sofa, scrolling through his phone as he waited. He looked up hearing feet on the floor before he was hit by the stronger scent of mint, he chucked his body towards the alpha looking for some comfort. “Hi, Lando” Michael chuckled nuzzling the omegas curls. Lando dropped back onto his feet, his shoulders more relaxed having one of his alpha scents surrounding him.
“We’ll talk about it later OK? Why don’t you go and make some hot chocolate, Jon will leave you off this once yeah” Michael murmured. The alpha saw a sparkle in Lando’s eyes as he moved to make some hot chocolate, he’d make sure Jon lets this slide, his little one could do with some comfort food.
Michael felt stronger arms wrap around him and a head rest against his shoulder. “Dan, you OK mate?”
“Hmm”
Michael turned the other alpha around so that they were chest to chest, the silence was broken by the sound of smashing ceramic and a high-pitched squeak. Michael let go rushing to check on the omega. He found Lando with tears starting to fall down his cheeks as his pre-heat brain realised what had happened. There was milk tipped all over the floor surrounding the omega along with the shattered pieces of the mug he had been holding.
Michael quickly moved towards the omega whose eyes were wide with panic, “Shh it’s OK Lando. Are you hurt?” Lando shook his head whining quietly. Michael rumbled, finding the dustpan and brush cleaning up the broken mug and chucking it into the bin before he wrapped the omega up in an embrace.
Still rumbling gently he checked Lando over for any injuries before pulling his top over his head to stop him from shivering.
“I-I I’m sorry,”
“It's OK baby, deep breaths now yeah?” Michael run his hand comfortingly along Lando’s bare back keeping him from slipping into a panic attack. He pressed a kiss to the top of the omega’s curls.
A loud growl ripped through the silence startling the two who were standing in the middle of the room. Michael spun around hiding Lando behind him, Lando peeked around Michael’s shoulder looking at Daniel, whose scent was filled with anger and resentment.
“Daniel, stop it”
“No. That omega should know his place, he always does shit like this! And you always go to him!”
“Lando is in his place, in F1 here with us. He’s one of my mates I’m going to protect him!”
“He’s an Omega! He’s shown me up this entire fucking season and I’ve had enough, he’s ours he should obey us for fuck sake!”
Michael snarled and stalked forward, he grabbed hold of the other Alpha’s biceps pushing him up against the wall, “Shut the fuck up Ricciardo, he is ours. He is ours to look after and protect-”
A whimper interrupts the two nearly-fighting alphas, Lando’s eyes were wide, his blue-green eyes magnified by the tears that were there. “Lando, go to the pack room, stay there and don’t leave until I come and get you” Michael ordered, a low growl ending his sentence.
Lando, with tears running down his face tugged on his shoes, running past the two alphas and out of the motorhome door towards the pack room where hopefully there would be someone to comfort him. He entered the room, seeing a few groups of drivers together in different areas, Max was curled up in a nest with George and Charles and despite the two's rivalry from their karting years Max and Charles were incredibly protective of each other both having bonded over being thrown into the pressure of Formula 1 so young.
Everyone looked up letting out noises of comfort when they saw the source of the distressed scent, Max let out a soft coo from where he was laying. Lewis slowly approached him, making sure not to startle the already on edge omega.
“What’s wrong Lando? What’s happened?” Lando whimpered looking around the room.
“T-they don’t want me” Lewis pulled Lando into his chest, gently moving him back and fore, “Michael and Daniel? Darling, of course, they want you. You’re their mate.”
Lando whined shaking his head more tears running down his face, Lewis hushed him gently pressing him towards the nest filled with some of the other omegas who had all let out comforting sounds, moving around to make some room for their youngest omega.
They try to calm him down but as time goes on they realise that the only thing that will bring Lando out of the spiral is the exact thing that sent him into it, he needed Daniel and Michael. Lando was curled up so that he was facing Charles and that George was pressed against his back.
Max was staring worriedly, nibbling on his lip, “If he doesn’t calm down soon, he’s going to go into panic heat.”
Charles looked up from smoothing the youngest Omegas curls away from his forehead, “It’s too late. His instincts think his mates have rejected him, he’s going to go into panic heat soon”
Lewis rumbled from his seat outside the nest, “Seb, Carlos and I will go and speak to them once we’ve calmed him down.” His nose wrinkled slightly as he thought, the others in the room watched as he took off his hoodie and directed Carlos to do the same.
“If he goes into panic heat for too long it can get dangerous. Keep him cool and give him our scents, it will help. We’re going to speak to those idiots”
Max nodded his eyes wide at the determination and slight aggressiveness that was prominent in Lewis’s usually very laid-back, beachside like scent. Max watched as he and Carlos left closely followed by Seb, the head omega. The other, taller British omega in the room whimpered quietly as he watched his mate leave, Charles gently rubbed his head against Georges to soothe him.
Within twenty minutes, Lando’s temperature had skyrocketed and he was writhing around in discomfort as slick dripped out of him beginning to form a puddle surrounding him. The omegas looked at each other eyes panicked looking at Max for guidance. The dutch cooed softly at them both, “George help me make a new nest, go grab those heat towels from the cupboard, Charles, take his top and trousers off leave his boxers on. I’ll get some cold rags to try and cool him down.” They both listened instantly moving to do as they were told.
Charles whispered soothing words as he removed Lando’s clothes gently rubbing the sweat and tears away from his skin as he moaned out for alphas to end the pain that was raging through him. Max handed the moneqasgue some of the cold rags to place on the youngest omega. “How- how will this help him?”
“It’s only a panic heat, trying to call his alphas because he thinks he’s been rejected. We need to cool him down, otherwise he-” Max swallowed shaking his head, “He could become seriously ill”
The atmosphere was heavy in the room as the thought of losing their youngest friend weighed down on them. It took thirty minutes of Lando writhing around for the scent of the two alphas to begin to help him as he began pushing his face into the sweaters that the two alphas had left behind.
Max was becoming increasingly worried as Lando’s condition seemed to worsen steadily as time continued and no alphas arrived to help him, Max pulled out his phone sending an urgent, panicked text to Lewis who replied almost instantly the words allowing him to relax a small bit now knowing that help was on the way.
Lando was beginning to slip in and out of consciousness as his body begin to give up fighting the fever, Charles and George let out distressed sounds as they become increasingly worried and the idea of truly losing Lando became more, and more real. The three omegas' heads shot up at the sound of the door and three pairs of footsteps. Max chirped when he saw who was alongside Lewis and Carlos when he saw Michael. “Michael!”
Michaels's face dropped seeing the state that his precious omega was in, “What’s happened?” He asked, his hand frozen centimetres away from stroking through his hair.
“He’s having a panic heat, he needs you to calm him down, having both you and Daniel would be even better but with what we could get out of him that’s not a good idea.”
The Alpha picked his Omega up making sure to take some towels with him and wrapping them around the Omega's lower half. He settled Lando down sideways on his lap tugging his head into the crook of his neck allowing him access to his scent gland where he had placed his mark when they had mated. He runs his hand back and forth along the length of Lando’s back humming quietly, “You’re OK Lando, I’m here, I’m here. I love you little one”
He continued murmuring confirmations into Lando’s ears, as he felt his little omega's heartbeat calming down, some tension left him as he realised he would not be losing him. “You’re doing so well little one, I’m so sorry we made you feel like this.”
He looked to Lewis who had sat on the nearest seat that he could, the other alpha nodded moving in the direction of the door on a mission to find Daniel and bring him to where he belonged; with his mates.
Michael continued soothing Lando until the other Alpha arrived. he stood up holding Lando against him when Daniel entered hesitantly and waited for him to approach. Michael looked down and saw that the young omega had fallen asleep, he gestured for Daniel to come forward before gently waking Lando up.
As he began waking up, his scent softened with happiness as he nuzzled closer to Michael purring softly being met by both Michael’s and Daniel's rumbles, whining he was able to feel Daniel’s presence but not actually being able to feel the Alpha surrounding him. “Let’s go shower, get you warm and clean. Then we can go and cuddle in your nest OK?” Michael murmured, feeling him nod in agreement letting Daniel lead the way towards the pack shower room.
Inside, he turned on the shower making sure that it was the perfect temperature and got some towels for the three of them while Michael convinced Lando to stand up from his lap and helped him take off his slick-soaked boxers.
Lando was purring quite loudly underneath the warm spray standing between his two alpha’s bodies. He leant back into Daniel's chest while Michael helped carefully clean him, both alphas making sure that the aftercare Lando deserved was given.
“I’m so so sorry,” Daniel whispered, pressing a kiss to Lando’s curls and holding him tighter against him. The omega sighed slowly turning himself around as Michael straightened up wrapping his arms around both of them.
“Danny don’t keep thinking about it, I forgive you, I’m sorry for taking the attention away from you so much… I should have helped you more this year”
“No! No, don’t say sorry Lando, I was jealous and annoyed that you were doing so well whilst I… when I was struggling”
Michael shook his head hushing both of them into silence as they let the water wash over them, soon Lando began shivering and the alphas quickly and smoothly got him out dried and changed into a pair of his boxers and Michael's t-shirt which was way too big for him.
Lando let out a soft whine once he was dressed holding out his arms to Michael who laughed quietly whilst moving towards the younger man and picking him up. The three moved silently to their shared room, Michael gently dropped Lando into his nest, both alphas standing outside watching Lando move things around until he had found a comfortable position. Cooing softly Lando called out for his alphas to join him, he sighed happily now having his two favourite alphas surrounding and protecting him.