Page 60 of Sobek’s Joy

When they finally broke apart, cheers erupted. The children came running, shouting, and laughing. Rose reached them first, demanding to see the rings. Timothy climbed straight up Sobek’s leg, chattering excitedly about how pretty everything was. Jack hung back slightly, but when Rudy held out his hand, the boy took it without hesitation.

“Come on.” Arvyn appeared beside them, Aziza still perched on his hip. “There’s food. And you look like you could use a drink.”

“Several drinks,” Kirill added, materializing on Rudy’s other side. “You married a god. That requires at least three drinks.”

“I’m driving the kids home,” Rudy protested weakly.

“I’m translocating the kids home,” Sobek corrected. “Which means you can have as many drinks as you want.”

They made their way to the tables, where platters of food stretched as far as the eye could see. Roasted meats, fresh fruits, honeyed pastries, and delicate fish dishes. It was a beautiful spread. Rudy’s eyes looked as though they were going to fall out of his head.

“Did you plan all this?”

“Ra helped.” Sobek pulled out a chair for his mate - his husband - and settled beside him. “And the goddess Bastet. She’s really supportive of her kin who have children.”

“The kids seem to like her already, which is lovely to see.” Rudy still looked as though he wanted to pinch himself. “I didn’t notice Horus here. Did he get invited?”

“He was, but you’ve met him, and you hadn’t met Seth and Luka. Horus still won’t go anywhere near Seth - a long family feud that has no place here today. I wanted Jack to meet Luka because he’s an omega wolf, and they have their own ways of helping other shifters feel good.”

“We can invite Horus for lunch another day,” Rudy said, looking around for the children. Around them, the other gods and their mates filtered to the tables, claiming seats and filling plates. The children, however, had different plans.

“Can we shift now?” Rose asked, waving her arms around with excitement. “You said we could shift here.”

Sobek glanced at the other parents. Luka nodded, already herding his twins toward the open grass. “Absolutely. Go run. Just stay where we can see you.”

Rose needed no further encouragement. She stripped off her dress with zero self-consciousness, shifted into her sleek black panther form, and took off running. Jack followed more slowly, carefully folding his clothes before becoming a gray and brown wolf pup. Timothy wiggled out of his shorts, shifted, and waddled after them slowly, happy to enjoy his time in the grass.

Within moments, the clearing filled with shifter children. Luka’s twins - both wolves - tumbled over each other in mock battle. Aziza, a gorgeous gold and white wolf cub, yipped and chased after Rose. Even Anubis and Loki’s twins - barely old enough to walk in human form - managed wobbly partial shifts, their jackal features emerging in fits and starts.

“They’re beautiful,” Rudy whispered, his eyes tracking their children across the grass. “All of them.”

“They are.” Seth appeared on Sobek’s other side, claiming a seat and pouring wine into goblets. “And gods help us all when they hit their teenage years.”

“Don’t remind me.” Luka dropped into the chair beside his mate, accepting a kiss before stealing Seth’s wine. “Darius already tried to challenge Hephaestus last week. He’s two.”

“That’s my boy.” Seth grinned, utterly unrepentant.

Conversation flowed easily after that. Stories were exchanged - horror stories about exploding diapers and teething babies, as well as happier stories about first words and first shifts. Rudy seemed to relax more every minute, seemingly understanding that there were people around who understood.

These gods and their mates weren’t just dealing with normal children. They were raising shifters and demi-gods. They knew the fear of discovery, the challenge of keeping secrets, the desperate need to give their kids normal lives despite impossible circumstances.

Sobek watched his mate laugh at one of Loki’s outrageous stories, watched him lean forward with genuine interest when Arvyn described Aziza’s first successful stalking of a giant moth. He belongs, Sobek realized.

And that was what Sobek had wanted. Not just a wedding ceremony, but being able to show Rudy proof that they weren’t alone. That there were other families just like theirs, and that those same families would be the support system Rudy hadn’t had until now.

“You did good,” Ra murmured, appearing at Sobek’s shoulder. “This...what you’ve built. It’s exactly what we all needed.”

Sobek glanced at one of his oldest kin. “I just wanted Rudy to be happy.”

“And he is.” Ra nodded toward where Rudy was now deep in conversation with Kirill about something that had them both gesturing wildly. “But more than that, you’ve given him hope. You’ve shown him his children have a future. That’s worth more than any ceremony.”

Warmth spread through Sobek’s chest. Through their bond, he felt Rudy’s contentment, his joy, his overwhelming relief at finding others like them.

Out on the grass, Rose tackled Jack, both of them rolling over each other in a play-fight that sent Timothy scrambling out of the way. Aziza joined in, and soon all five children were tumbling across the clearing in a chaotic, joyful pile of fur, scales, and laughter.

“Best wedding present ever,” Rudy said softly, appearing at Sobek’s side. He leaned against his husband, watching their children play. “Thank you. For all of this.”

Sobek wrapped an arm around Rudy’s waist, pulling him close. “You’re welcome. Though technically, I think the wedding was the present.”