
At Emma’s quiet command, Rex stepped back slowly and reluctantly, but his eyes stayed locked firmly on her mother until she’d stepped back and moved away. A few minutes later, Daniel poked his head through the chamber door. He was the groom’s closest friend, the best man, and one of their fellow officers—another cop at a cop’s wedding.
“Looks like it’s almost showtime,” Daniel said with his usual grin already plastered on his face. At first, Rex didn’t react at all. But when Daniel took a step closer into the room, Rex’s head lifted slowly. His nostrils flared wide, drawing in deep, sharp breaths of the air. He leaned forward just enough to catch Daniel’s exact scent—and then he froze completely. A low, rumbling growl rolled up from his chest. It was controlled and deliberate, not the growl of a scared or nervous dog. This was a warning.
