Book 2. Aksel - The dungeons

Book 2. Aksel - The dungeons
An oxcoa’s sense of smell was much stronger than that of a human, allowing Aksel to easily follow the scent of his mate, Ivy, along with Essy’s and those of the demons who had taken them.
He could also detect the subtle changes in the two women’s scents. While Essy had been terrified, Ivy had been enraged.
There was pride in his heart, but also fear for his soulmate. And regret. So much regret. He wished he had been gentler with her, had explained things to her instead of rejecting her outright without giving her a real reason. There had been so many wasted moments when he could have spoken to her, yet he had chosen to remain silent.
It had been for her own good, he tried to reason with himself. He had wanted to protect her from a life filled with misery. Yet despite all his caution, he had still led her straight into danger, straight into the hands of the enemy.
The thought of his precious soulmate in the hands of those foul creatures and being hurt by them made the wolf inside him howl in agony. But he forced himself to stay calm and think things through carefully. It was the only way to save Lady Ivy and Essy.
He had learned long ago that if he let his anger take over, nothing good would come of it. With the help of Eoin and his father, he had mastered reining in his emotions. But when it came to Lady Ivy, he was as lost as a young lad on the day of his first shift, all rational thought abandoning him.
The scent had led him to the Royal Palace. It hadn’t surprised him, but he had hoped it wouldn’t come to this. Getting her out without being caught would be nearly impossible, but the same had been true when they rescued Eoin. Only that getting Eoin out had set off a chain of events he hadn’t been prepared for. And despite everything—the death, the suffering—he didn’t regret saving Eoin.
But he did regret Commander Jayden’s death. That would forever be his greatest regret—being the one to land the fatal blow on a man who had loved him like a brother.
Hidden behind the thick bushes in the Royal Garden, he watched the palace from the shadows. Dawn was still a few hours away, and except for the undead patrolling the streets and the demons flying overhead, Athea slept. Yet magic crystals glowed in several rooms, and light spilled from the tower occupied by the Necromancer, alerting that not everyone was asleep.
So he waited for the right moment to sneak inside.
There was a tunnel that led directly to the kitchen, but it was too risky. The servants had seen him before and might recognize him. He couldn’t risk anyone spotting him before he had a solid plan.
He feared he might need help from someone inside the palace, but finding a person who was both trustworthy and willing to risk their life to save a female they didn’t even know would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Suddenly, he sensed something—or rather, someone.
He was no longer alone.
His fingers reached for the dagger tucked into his boot as he tried to catch the scent of the person slowly approaching him from behind, but the wind blew into his face, carrying it away.
He waited until the stranger was almost upon him before whirling around and pressing the blade to their neck. Aksel’s entire body tensed before he cursed under his breath.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Kara?” he hissed at the young woman.
To her credit, Kara didn’t flinch at Aksel’s harsh words. “I’m here to help you save Ivy and Essy.”
It didn’t surprise him that Kara already knew about the disappearance of his soulmate and her friend. She always seemed to know things most didn’t, and she was always aware of the latest gossip.
Aksel was almost convinced Kara was part of some secret society that somehow knew everything happening in Athea.
The idea was so absurd that he quickly dismissed it. Kara had probably learned about Lady Ivy and Essy’s disappearance from Hugo and Marty.
Marty was the type of male who couldn’t keep his feelings to himself, no matter how hard he tried. By now, everyone in the sewers was surely aware of Aksel’s failure to protect the two women from the demons. He cursed under his breath once more.
“The dagger, if you may.”
Kara’s words brought him back to the present.
He didn’t lower the dagger. If anything, he pressed the sharp tip into her flesh, nicking her neck just enough to draw blood and scare her. But Kara wasn’t like human females. She was an oxcoa, after all. Where others saw bravery, he saw stubbornness and foolishness. She wasn’t doing anyone any favors by being so careless.
What was she doing there anyway? She could have stumbled across anyone and gotten herself into serious trouble.
“I don’t need your help,” he hissed.
She held her chin high as she met his gaze. Neither of them backed down.
“But Ivy and Essy do,” she retorted.
“Damn it, Kara,” he growled, baring his sharp canines. It was usually enough to force a female into submission, but Kara was no longer the same frightened person who had appeared on Commander Jayden’s doorstep, barefoot and pregnant. The events of the past week had changed her, bringing forth a strength and bravery Aksel hadn’t expected. “This is not the time to be stubborn.”
“I’m not,” she contradicted him. “I’m being realistic.”
“The only reality is that you’re pregnant,” Aksel snarled, wanting her to leave so he could get back to surveying the palace. “Very pregnant, I might add.” 
She placed a protective hand over her stomach. “Which will work to our advantage. Pregnant women always draw out someone’s sympathy,” she said before backing away from the dagger.
For a moment, Aksel thought she was returning to the sewers, but to his horror, Kara suddenly dashed toward the palace. She moved with more swiftness than he would have thought a pregnant female was capable of.
Aksel cursed under his breath before slipping the dagger back into his boot and darting after her. The moment he caught up with her, he would drag her back to the sewers, lock her in her room, and tell the others not to let her out, no matter what.
But before he could reach her, she had already slipped inside the palace.

For those who have been waiting forever for an update - the long wait is over. Between some health problems and other stuff going on, I wasn't in the right headspace to write on this book.
Also, for old readers - I have fully edited all the previous chapters of book 2. I aim for 2 - 3 chapters per week. More, if I can.