Chapter Text
“George.” Max sighed. George averted his gaze from his husband. “Schatje, please. You know I take no pleasure in-” George huffed, swatting away his husband’s arm as it tried to land on his wrist.
“You seemed to take plenty of pleasure in- in those- those whorish performers.” He huffed, inner omega fuming and crying. There had been performers in town. And they’d had the great honor of performing for the royal court. It had an omegan dance troupe. They’d performed some seductive dance whilst George’s stupid alpha had practically drooled over them.
One of them had had the audacity to run her hands down his husband’s chest. And his evil stupid alpha had done nothing to stop them- had even leaned after them when they had left. So now George was doing the only logical thing.
Which was certainly not letting his inner omega- sad pathetic and whiney- win. His inner omega wanted to curl up in his mate’s arm, scent mark him as his and be scent marked in return. But no. George didn’t want his digusting brutish excuse of a husband anywhere near him nor his bed.
“Darling,” Max pleaded. “I’m sorry.” He released soothing phremones. The audacity.
Kimi cooed in George’s arms.
Maybe that was the root of it. George had only given birth 2 months ago. He was exhausted. Emotionally drained. Absent. And now his stupid cruel mean mate was- was tempted by random common omegas.
Against his will, his eyes watered. Max let out a concerned, distressed sound. “Schatje-” He pleaded. “Don’t cry. I’m sorry. I am very very stupid, we know this. Please do not cry.” Max pleaded.
“Y-You boorish- stupid- e-evil alpha-!” He choked out through tears.
Max wrapped him in a tight embrace. “Yes.” He agreed. “Yes I am all of those things. Please forgive me, my love. My princess. I love you. Do not cry over my foolishness” Max whispered, softly scenting George. He dropped a kiss to their pup’s forehead.
George choked on a sob and slumped against him. Max cradled him close. “Do- do you not find me desirable anymore?” He cried. “I gave birth, I- I’m trying to get presentable again, I-” Max shushed him gently, cooing.
“No my love.” He whispered. “You are still the most beautiful omega I have ever laid my eyes upon. My beautiful beautiful husband.” George sniffled. “Of course you are tired, Georgie. I don’t expect you to be in full regalia. You just gave us another child. And we also have little Liam. You are allowed and expected to be exhausted.” Max soothed.
“I’m upset with you.” George sniffled. Max kissed his temple.
“You can be as angry at me as you like.” He agreed softly. “But please allow me into our nest?” George sniffled, then nodded against Max’s shoulder. “Thank you, schatje.” Max whispered. “Would you like to come with me to say goodnight to Liam?” George nodded again, allowing his husband to lead the way to their son’s bedroom.
“Charles?” Esteban yawned, sitting upright. “What… what is it?” He tilted his head. His spouse sighed in exhaustion. Esteban and Charles had been betrothed when they were quite young. Initially there had been rumors Charles would be engaged to the Merecedes Princess, or that Esteban would be engaged to Pierre, in Alpine- but Red Bull had snagged both those alliances first.
So, Haas desperate for protection, and Ferrari always eager for more resources and loyal followers betrothed Esteban and Charles. It was most certainly not a love match. There was no passion or fire when Esteban looked at Charles, and he knew the alpha felt the same in return.
But they were comfortable with each other. They were friends, truly. Charles may not have ignited fire or passion or lust- but he was safe. Comfortable. Home.
He was Ollie’s sire, and he was Esteban’s mate.
Even if it weren’t the path either may have chosen- if given the choice- it was the one they had to live with. It really wasn’t so bad. Charles let Esteban have a full life. Esteban never once complained about Charles’s not-so-secret affair with Fernando Alonso’s eldest. It was peaceful. Good.
“It’s been an exhausting day.” The prince informed as he slumped into Esteban’s nest, tucking his face into Esteban’s neck. Even though they were not romantic- they were still mates, and still pack.
Esteban hummed. “Anything in particular, or just draining in general?”
“Tensions on the rise with McLaren.” He sighed softly. “Red Bull are trying to form an alliance via Prince Daniel and Princess Lando. Mercedes are not pleased. And they are each other’s closest allies, of course. They share grandchildren. Haas is of course against. Williams always stands with Mercedes. Alpine and Aston are choosing to remain neutral, for the time being.”
“Theoretically McLaren could and should have no allies.” Esteban huffed. “Lewis is our cousin.” Charles nodded. Lewis was his father’s brother. “And he is married to Prince Nico, who is George’s brother, who is Max’s husband. And Yuki is married to Pierre. And little Franco is already betrothed to little Gabriel. And Carlos is now married to Alex. McLaren are the only outsiders.” Charles hummed.
“Red Bull doesn’t think like that. It’s not about stopping a faction from gaining too much power. It’s about gaining that power as well. Alpine is doing… nothing for them. Unfortunately. I do think they just agreed to it to be rid of poor Yuki. But they have George, and therefore they have Mercedes. That leaves us, and McLaren of the Great Powers.”
“And of course you are taken.” Esteban chuckled.
“And Ollie is an infant.” Charles agreed. “They could try to formulate something, but it would take decades. McLaren on the other hand has two omegas of marrying age. And Red Bull has an unwed son.”
“Have you spoken with Max?” Esteban dropped his own chin into Charles’s hair.
“Working on it. But his father is…”
“A case.” Estevan huffed.
“Did I miss Ollie’s bedtime?” The alpha sounded pained.
“Yes.” Esteban whispered. Charles groaned. “You can do wake up if it matters so much.”
“I will.” He whispered. “…good night, Estevan.”
“Good night Charles.”
“Bonne nuit chouchou.” Pierre cooed, depositing their toddler in bed. Yuki kissed his forehead.
“Night night.” Isack yawned.
Once they were back in their bedroom, Pierre wrapped himself around Yuki, who relaxed back into hs arms. “Mon amour.” Pierre kissed his temple. “I’ve missed you.” He pressed more kisses into his shoulder and neck. “Things have been so busy.”
“You do not get to put another baby in me for at least another year.” Yuki scolded. “The one we have needs to be older. I don’t want two under 4.” Pierre chuckled and kissed his cheek.
“We don’t have to do anything tonight.” He nuzzled Yuki’s scent gland. “Just need some good Yuki time.” Yuki smiled and relaxed into him.
“Things are stressful?” He inquired softly. Pierre sighed.
“Foreign affairs.” He murmured. “Father has already arranged a marriage for Franco.” Yuki gaped at his husband as they curled up in their nest.
“He is 4!” He protested, startled.
“And Fernando Alonso’s second born is 3.” He agreed. Yuki huffed. “...there’s talk Red Bull will form an alliance with McLaren.” Yuki tensed.
“What?” He gaped.
A nod. “They want to marry your cousin to Princess Lando.”
“Daniel???”
“Have you seen Logan?” Carlos questioned softly, leaning into Alex. His husband hummed softly. “He… I haven’t seen him since yesterday.” Alex hummed softly.
“...he’s been hiding away with Luke.” He murmured softly. “Dad’s been…. requesting he stay out of public eye, for the time being.” He cringed. Carlos scented the alpha. He knew his partner missed his former lover in the same way he missed Charles.
Logan and Alex had been engaged, betrothed from youth. Logan had come to visit Williams when he was 15- and while he was away the McLaren coup occurred.
James hadn’t dissolved the engagement right away. He’d allowed his son and Logan to stay together for nearly 10 more years; but then Logan became pregnant. And that was when he decided enough was enough, and engaged Alex to Carlos, forbidding him from seeing Logan and his pup. Over the latest 5 years, James had grown more lenient.
Logan and Alex weren’t allowed alone together, but Alex was permitted to see his family. Carlos always felt awful. He and Alex were mated, now. They were intrinsically tied together, and Carlos did love him, in a way that went a bit beyond platonic. But Logan always looked so exhausted.
Unable to return home to his kingdom, unable to see his pack: his parents or brother. And he had been forcibly separated from his lover, left alone to raise their pup. Carlos’s own baby was a little over a year now.
Raising her with the help of his handmaids and Alex always present was hard enough. He couldn’t fathom what it had been like for Logan those first few months- when Alex had been forbidden from seeing him.
All alone, locked away, with a newborn.
He shuddered at the thought. Alex held him a little closer.
“We should go visit them, tomorrow.” Carlos murmured softly. Alex nodded, eyes weary. “Lia would be happy to see Luke, I’m sure.” Alex wrapped tighter around Carlos. “Are you alright, amor?” He murmured softly.
“There’s just… a lot going on.” He sighed softly, pressing a warm kiss to Carlos’s shoulder. “Red Bull are trying to form an alliance with McLaren. So Mercedes is… not pleased.” Carlos’s brow furrowed.
“We are standing with Mercedes, yes?”
“Of course.”
“…has my father taken a side?” He inquired softly. Aston was… unpredictable. Unlike most of the other kingdoms, Aston was somewhat of a plutocracy, with it becoming more and more of a corporatocracy by the day. It was especially evident in the fact that one of the wealthiest buisnessmen in the kingdom had successfully married his omega son- who was younger than Carlos- to his father. The King no longer had total control… Carlos knew his father was somewhat in the palm of buisnessmen. They held too much power.
“Not yet.” Alex murmured. “But… it looks…” Carlos sighed, pressing his face into his husband’s shoulder. “We’ll figure it out.” Alex whispered softly. “Just because there’s tension doesn’t mean anything bad will happen.”
“I hope so.” Carlos agreed softly. “I really do hope so.”
“Your Majesty?” Lance knocked on the door, eyes wide and hesitant. “...Gabriel and Nikolas were hoping you would come say goodnight.” His husband’s eyes darted up to him. The King was a regal man. Lance always felt small in his presence. “Gabriel was especially hopeful you would read a bed time story?” His voice wavered slightly. Their relationship was odd. It felt unsteady. His husband was 20 years older than him… it was easy to feel tiny. But his husband was also kind. Even if Lance felt small and uncertain, he did not feel afraid. He knew the man would never hurt him.
Fernando’s eyes softened. “Of course.” He agreed. “Walk with me?” Lance nodded, falling into step as the King strode to the nursery.
“Papa!” Gabriel beamed, sitting up in bed. “You came.” Fernando smiled. Lance watched as the man tucked their children into bed, telling a gentle, classic fairytale.
“Are you ready for bed?” Fernando inquired. Lance nodded.
They shared a nest. They were mated, it would have taken a toll on their physical health if they didn’t. Lance curled up next to his mate- but with a gap of space.
“My Queen?” Fernando inquired softly. Lance’s eyes darted up. “May I ask for your thoughts?” Lance nodded hesitantly. “If McLaren declares intention to grow its territory… declares war on Mercedes… what do you think we should do?”
“...to get to Mercedes they’d either have to go through us or Williams.” Lance murmured. “Or technically they could go via Ferrari and Redbull, but that would be an insane task.”
“Yes. The… council would like us to ally with McLaren guarantee them safe passage.” Lance’s eyes snapped up.
“We can’t do that! Think about it! If we do that we declare ourselves enemies of Mercedes. That in and of itself is frightening. Then consider that Williams and Mercedes are the closest allies on the West. And Carlos is in Williams. Your- your son is a Williams now. If we side with Mclaren we would end up at war with them, Fernando! Your- your grandson is a Williams!” And then he flushed, realizing he’d used first names and practically lectured the King.
But Fernando didn’t look offended. Almost amused- but he was nodding. “I agree. I fear for what is coming.”
“I’m going to kill him.” Toto practically snarled. Susie hummed. Nico had his head in his hands, and Lewis was pacing the length of the room. “An allegiance with McLaren? After the threats Brown has made against us???”
“…Father, maybe we should bring George home.” Nico murmured. “And the children. They’re not Red Bull property. They can come ‘visit’, and stay as long as needed to be safe.”
“George won’t go for that.” Susie shook her head. “I don’t know that we could drag him away from Max if we tried. And Max is the heir- he certainly can’t just leave.” She reminded.
“I want my son home.” Toto snapped. “I don’t care if we drag him kicking and screaming. Red Bull doesn’t get to use my son as a token or a pretty face or keep my grandchildren whilst actively scheming against us.”
“I’ve gotten into contact with my cousin.” Lewis spoke up. “Ferrari are prepared to stand against McLaren if they make any moves.”
“Wonderful.” Susie sighed. “War on every front.”
“At least our western border would be a powerful ally.” Nico huffed. “But it’s certainly not ideal. “Mum, have you heard anything from Aston or Alpine?”
“Rumors are circulating both are in talks with McLaren.” She informed softly
“Fuck.”
“More or less, yes.”
“Osco?” Lando whispered into the darkness of the room. There was an inquisitive hum as the younger omega’s bedside lamp clicked on. He sat up, rubbing his eyes.
“Lando…?” Lando’s pretty pretty best friend croaked. “What is it?”
Lando didn’t deserve Oscar. He knew this. His own father had coup’d Oscar’s parents, locking them away in a cottage far out west. Oscar’s twin had been abroad when it happened, and hadn’t returned since
Oscar was in some ways a glorified hostage. Lando loathed to think of it that way. Oscar was kept as part of the royal court because it looked good. People had loved the former royal family. The King and Queen had been a beautiful love match, and they adored their two sons. When Lando’s father and the right wing party overthrew them, they kept Oscar around for appearences.
And while Oscar got to keep his nice room, and nice things, and live adored by the public- Lando knew he was suffocating. He was still a prisoner, even if his cage was gilded.
Hence why he felt so guilty. He really did feel like Oscar was his only friend. His bestest friend in the whole entire world. He loved the younger omega. They’d grown closer than could be considered appropriate over the years. But Lando couldn’t help but often wonder if Oscar would ever have picked him in a different life.
He hadn’t realized he was staring until his lady in waiting repeated himself. “Lan?” Oscar sat up. “It’s the middle of the night, is something wrong?” Lando crawled into Oscar’s nest-bed with a soft whine. Oscar hummed in concern but wrapped around Lando. “Lan?” He whispered.
“Dad’s gonna marry me off.” He whispered. Oscar tensed against him. “One of- one of the Red Bull Princes. Daniel.” He pressed into his friend. Oscar let out a soft whine. “I don’t- I don’t want to.” He whispered.
“I don’t want you to either.” Oscar cuddled into Lando. “You’re all I have”