Lucy frowned slightly, tightening her grip on the leash. “Easy,” she whispered. But Rex didn’t look at Emma at all. His ears pricked forward, his body angling away from the aisle—straight toward the far corner of the church, toward the small table stacked with wedding gifts.
Rex growled, low and controlled. Lucy stiffened in alarm. “Rex—” Before she could finish her warning, he lunged forward. The leash slipped right through her fingers before she could brace herself to hold it back. A sharp collective gasp echoed through the church. Rex was already sprinting, his paws skidding across the polished stone floor as he charged straight for the gift table.
He barked once—loud, sharp, and piercing. Wrapping paper fluttered through the air, a gift box tipping over and crashing to the floor. Gasps and exclamations erupted all around the pews. “What’s going on?” “Is that dog supposed to be here today?” Rex circled the table rapidly, barking again, his nose pressed tight to the wrapped boxes, his body rigid with alertness.
