Page 99 of Crash Course Omega
I hope Jacob will stay busy for a long time so we don’t have to discuss the scent match with him.
It's obvious what it looks like. As she smiles up at all three of us, and we wash our pheromones over her, to everyone else in the waiting room, we look like a pack.
Maddock
I stand here, helmet in hand, staring at my car. Even when it’s been taken apart and put back together, when every single piece has been made and replaced with brand new pieces, it’s still my car. And it’s the car I’ve driven for nine months since they revealed it before the season started.
It’s been my companion through all the hard races, through all my anger and frustration, through my successes and failures, my wins and losses. And I don’t want to take a single step towards my car and climb inside.
Because I don’t care about winning anymore. I don’t want to get out there on the track when Harmony’s recuperating in her hotel room. The hospital might have let her go, but she’s stillslightly groggy, and I care more about making sure she’s okay than getting across the finish line.
Even with everything that happened in the hospital, and the number of times she told us she was okay, I still need to be with my omega.
I jump as Jaxx slaps me on the back.
“You have to get into that car, Maddock,” he says, seeing right through me.
“I can’t when she’s waiting for us,” I say softly enough that only he can hear me.
Jaxx arches a brow, and his familiar grin spreads across his face. “Oh, so it’s ‘us’ now? Have you finally accepted me as a fellow pack member?”
“Not a fucking chance. But I’m not going to pretend you haven't scent matched after the way you were fawning all over each other at the hospital.”
Jaxx bursts out laughing, and it’s actually a relief to hear him making fun of me.
“No, but seriously, she’ll lose her mind if she finds out you didn’t race today. And then all three of us will be in trouble.”
Even though I know that, I still growl at him. “You don’t know anything about her.” I don’t want to admit Harmony and I have already kind of had a conversation about me not racing.
“Even if I knew nothing about the enigmatic, spectacular, and gorgeous Harmony Grace, anyone would feel that way. Man, I would never let you forget it if I found out you gave up a race so you could be with me. Though I know I really am just that handsome,” he says, stroking his chin.
I glower at him. Whatever excuse I make, there’s nothing that will be good enough to convince anyone that I shouldn’t get into the driver’s seat.
“Maddock, you’re one race away from being the world champion. In two hours we might be standing here and you’llbe holding that trophy and your name will be cemented on one of those Wikipedia articles for teenagers to look at in fifty years when they are doing a group project on racers they like. Wouldn’t that be amazing? Come on, I bet you’re doing this all so you can appear on one of those “Top Ten Angriest F1 Champions” clickbait Youtube vids showing that time you punched a wall and broke your finger when you spun off mid-race. Think of the clout, think of the drama.”
“Could you stop fucking around? I’m trying to be serious here.”
“Okay, fine, whatever, do your thing.” He waves his hand between us like he’s brushing it all away. “But I’m going to be furious if you cost us the championship just because you’re having a moment. We’ve got an omega out there who’s watching and waiting to see the marvelous Maddock Harrison cross the line in P4.” He puts his hands on his hips, narrowing his eyes at me. “I mean, come on, Maddock. All you need is P4 and you’ll be a World Champion. You can do that much.”
“But what if something happens when we’re driving?”
“That’s always been the thing. The only thing that’s changed since the last race is how we feel about Harmony. And that hasn’t even changed, it’s just become even more important. If we don’t win for Harmony, what the hell are we even doing here? Why was Everest up at 3 AM making sure our cars were safe? Why was the entire team working from early in the morning to make sure we’re standing here together?” He blows out a heavy breath before slamming both his hands on my shoulders, squeezing me just a touch too hard as he meets me eye-to-eye. “Maddock, look around you, can’t you feel that? We’re going to be stars, but you need to get into that car and drive like the wind or we’ll have to face Harmony and explain to her why the hell you didn’t cross the finish line.”
I stare at him, unnerved by how serious he looks. I don’t like seeing Jaxx without a smile. It was the same at the hospital when he looked like he might collapse when he saw her again. It didn’t matter what we had been through together since we first became team mates, I’ve never seen Jaxx look like that before.
I’m about to reply when one of the alpha females suddenly pops up.
“Hey, Harrison!” Runa shouts across from their garage. “I’m fucking coming for you! You better watch out!” She slits her finger across her throat, and her partner laughs as they both jump into their cars.
“Wow, you’re really going to let her talk to you like that?” Jaxx asks, one eyebrow raised. “Them’s fighting words, you know? What are you going to do if I’m the one that has to defend your honor? You'll never live it down.”
“You’re a fucking asshole, you know that?” I scowl at him.
“Well, the best way to get back at me is to prove me wrong!” His grin comes back as he leaves before I can say anything else, and my attention turns back to my car.
If I don’t win this championship, I’m going to spend the rest of my life beating myself up. If I found out Harmony had given up a trophy so that she could just spend a day with me, I would never forgive her for losing that chance.
I have to show her I'm worthy of her. After all the pain I put her through because I was so scared and narrow-minded I couldn't trust her to be herself. But I was the one who didn't trust myself.
