Lucy finally reached them, grabbing Rex’s harness tightly with both hands. “Rex! Enough!” The dog fought against her hold, barking sharply, his eyes never leaving the church corner. Vincent grabbed Emma’s arm tightly. “Are you hurt?” “I—I don’t know,” she stammered, shaken and stunned, staring at her ruined dress, at her frantic dog, at the chaos spreading through every pew.
“Take him outside right now,” Vincent snapped sharply. Lucy hesitated for half a second, glancing only at Emma. Then she hauled Rex toward the side door of the church. The dog resisted every single step, barking one last time before the doors slammed shut behind them. A heavy, suffocating silence crashed over the entire church.
Emma stood trembling, her wedding dress torn and ruined, her heart pounding wildly in her chest, the wedding ceremony broken and fractured before it even truly began. As the music started back up and Vincent guided her toward the altar, one unshakable thought stuck in her mind: Rex hadn’t tried to hurt her. He’d been trying to lead her somewhere else.
