Alpha Dominated (The Dixon Brothers Book 3) Page 3

  “Normally, I would never let this happen,” she says as she rests her cheek on my chest. “But I don’t normally spend the night in trees, so I’ll make an exception.”

  I smile as the delicious smell of her hair tickles my nostrils. I want to bury my nose in it and inhale, but I restrain myself. I can’t wait for the day when I don’t have to restrain myself around her any longer.

  “Just relax,” I whisper to her. “You’re with your mate now. Everything will be okay.”

  “And this mate thing,” she says with a yawn. “We’ll talk about that later.”

  I smile as I watch her eyes drift closed.

  She falls asleep in no time.

  “Looking forward to it,” I whisper to her. “I’m looking forward to everything.”

  She’s still sleeping in my arms when we arrive back on the ranch.

  I’m far from the pool, but close enough that my brothers and their mates can see what I found in the forest. I have to bite back a laugh when they stand up and stare in shock as I walk naked to the house with a sleeping woman in my arms.

  I don’t stop to explain, I just head into the house with my precious girl cradled safely in my arms.

  She’s sleeping so heavily that she must know deep down that she’s safe from all harm.

  I head into my wing of the house and lay her on my big bed. She curls up into a ball and lets out a long breath.

  Before I run her a bath, I stop and admire her for a minute.

  The sight of her takes my breath away. She’s stunning.

  She looks so tiny and vulnerable laying there. It ramps up the protectiveness in me. I’ll kill anyone who tries to hurt her. I’ll be a vicious guard dog when it comes to protecting my mate. She has nothing to fear ever again.

  Mark her, my bear grumbles from inside.

  I clench my jaw as I tell him to bugger off. This sweet girl needs rest, not my teeth sinking into her neck.

  She stirs on the bed, moving her head and stretching her legs. Her silky black hair is splayed out around her, her face so calm and serene. I’m already in love.

  It’s more than that. I’m obsessed with this girl. I’m crazy for her.

  I want to wake her up and talk to her. I want to know everything about her. Every detail and secret she has. I need to know everything.

  But I’m not that selfish. I have to put her needs first and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. We’re going to be together forever and each moment of discovery over the years will be a little treasure for me to collect.

  It takes a lot of effort to peel my eyes off her. I take one last look at her body, wondering what’s hiding underneath that big bulky jumpsuit she’s wearing. It’s one more discovery I can’t wait to treasure.

  With a reluctant breath, I rip my eyes away from my beauty, throw jeans and a t-shirt on, and head into the bathroom. I run a hot bath and rush over to Mary and Cameron’s bathroom to steal some bubble bath while it’s running.

  I try to make the room perfect with a clean fluffy towel folded on the corner of the tub, candles, and clean clothes for her to change into after.

  There’s a fluttering in my chest as I head over to wake her up when it’s ready. I stare at her face for a long moment, studying the slender curve of her jaw, the sharp slope of her nose, the curve of her eyelashes, the tempting softness of her lips. I could stare at her for hours, but I don’t want to wake her up to a cold tub, so I gently shake her awake.

  “Ivy,” I whisper. “Ivy wake up.”

  Her eyes open softly and then jerk wide open when she sees where she is.

  “It’s okay,” I quickly say when she leaps up to her feet, looking around like a panicked cat.

  “Where am I?”

  “You’re in my house.”

  “Your house?” she says as she clenches her hands into fists and puts them up in warning. She’s so adorable. I love how feisty she is. “Why am I here?”

  “Well, I wasn’t about to leave you in the forest for another night,” I say softly. “It’s okay. You’re safe.”

  She rushes over to the window and glances outside. Her eyes dart back to mine. “Who are those people outside?”

  “My brothers and their mates. They live here.”

  “You all live in the same house?”

  “It’s a big house, but yeah.”

  She starts to calm down a little as she circles over to the door with her fists still up.

  “I ran you a bath.”

  “A bath?”

  “I thought you’d need it after a cold night in the rain.”

  She just stares at me like she’s watching a stray dog that she doesn’t know if she can trust.

  “It’s nice and hot.”

  When she shuffles over to the bathroom and peeks inside, I know I got her.

  “That’s for me?”

  I nod. “All for you. While you’re in there relaxing, I’ll make you something to eat. Then, you can take a nap.”

  “Where?”

  “In my bed.”

  She glances at the bed and then back to me.

  “I don’t want to sleep here,” she says with wide eyes. “Take me back to my friends in town.”

  “All right,” I tell her with my fingers crossed behind my back. “Take a bath and have something to eat, and then I’ll take you back to your friends.”

  “Take me back now.”

  I drop my shoulders and tilt my head. “The water is getting cold.”

  She glances at the bath again. “Okay, fine. I’ll take a bath. There aren’t any hidden cameras set up in the bathroom are there?”

  I laugh. “Not that I know of.”

  “Okay.”

  She drops her fists and heads into the bathroom.

  “How does a chicken sandwich sound?”

  “It sounds like heaven,” she says with a sigh.

  I grin at her. “Coming right up.”

  She steps in and hesitates before she closes the door. “Easton?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thank you. I thought I was going to die up there. It was really scary.”

  I smile at her. “You can always count on me to save you, Ivy. We’re mates.”

  She gives me a funny skeptical look as she closes the door. I hear the click of the lock.

  I rush down the stairs, taking three at a time, and bolt into the empty kitchen. Moose joins me as I start pulling ingredients out of the fridge, hoping to get a snack.

  “Moose, buddy,” I say as I peel a slice of chicken from the pack of cold cuts. “I found her. I’m in love.”

  All he cares about is the chicken. He’s staring at it with unblinking eyes while he licks his chops.

  I toss it to him and he snatches it out of the air.

  I can’t stop thinking about Ivy in my bathroom, sliding out of her clothes and sinking into the hot tub, completely naked.

  A groan rumbles out of my throat as my cock hardens like a rock. She’s up there now, naked. It takes everything I have to keep myself down here and not charge up the stairs and kick the door down. Every possessive instinct in my body is screaming at me to do just that, but I fight it down, keeping myself rooted to the spot.

  “Chicken,” I whisper to myself. “Focus on the chicken.”

  I’m trying hard to focus on the task at hand, but that’s deemed impossible when I realize I put ketchup on the bread.

  “Who the hell was that?” Roman asks as he opens the sliding door and charges in.

  “That girl is my—”

  Cameron bursts in next, interrupting me. “Who is that girl!?”

  “She’s my—”

  Jacob follows them in with Mary and Bailey. “We’re finding girls in the forest now?” Mary asks, staring in disbelief.

  I take a deep breath as I wait for them all to shut up. “It’s her,” I say with a big smile on my face. I still can’t believe I found her. I feel like jumping on the counter and doing a jig. I feel like I can float up to the ceiling. I feel like everything ha
s finally fallen into place.

  “Who?” Bailey asks.

  “My mate. I found her.”

  Jacob’s face drops. The poor guy. He’s the last one of us to find a mate and his heart must be breaking all over again. He’s the oldest of us and has been waiting the longest.

  He took it pretty hard when Cameron and Roman found theirs, and now here I am, pilling on his pain. I know he’s happy for us, but it’s hard for him.

  “You found your mate?” Cameron says as they all try to comprehend what happened. “In the forest?”

  I nod. “Yeah!”

  “Where was she?” Bailey asks with a chuckle. “Hanging in a tree?”

  “Yes!” I say

  Her laughter fades. “Really?”

  No one says a word as I tell them the story.

  “She was there all night?” Roman asks. “The poor girl.”

  “Yeah, she was caught in the rain and hasn’t eaten.” I feel terrible for her, but it doesn’t diminish my happiness or take away the permanent smile on my face. I know she’s safe now.

  “And that’s what you’re making for her?” Mary says with disgust. “Move aside. Let me do this.”

  She elbows her way in and I’m thankful as she starts making a proper sandwich. Bailey joins in and makes her a salad as Roman gets some bubbly water from the fridge.

  “I’m happy for you, bro,” Jacob says with a tight smile. It’s the first thing he’s said since he stepped into the kitchen. We all look at him, hoping he’s going to be okay. He excuses himself and heads outside.

  I watch him through the window as he tears his clothes off and explodes into his bear. His Kodiak sprints into the forest looking furious.

  I don’t take it personally. We all have to face our own demons when we’re without our mate. I’m just so relieved and thankful that part of my life is over now.

  “When do we get to meet her?” Mary asks when the meal is complete.

  “Soon enough,” I say as I grab the tray and head for the stairs. I have to meet her properly first.

  I can feel my heartbeat in my chest as I step into the room and place the tray on the dresser. I immediately head over to the ensuite bathroom, stopping at the closed door to listen.

  I knock softly. “Ivy?”

  She doesn’t answer.

  Panic starts to take over. I get tight all over as I picture her falling asleep, sinking under the water, and drowning.

  I grab the pin on top of the doorframe and shove it into the lock. I turn it and the door pops open.

  She gasps as I rush in. Her eyes are wide and her mouth is open as she stares at me in shock.

  Her body is covered by the bubbles but the sight of her sitting naked in the water with her black hair slicked back is enough to get me hard.

  “What are you doing in here?” she demands.

  I’m too focused on a bead of water sliding down the soft skin of her neck to answer.

  “Hello!” she shouts as she smacks the tub with her hand. “Privacy, please!”

  “I thought you might have fallen asleep.”

  “I did and it was lovely. Until you barged in.”

  “I was worried you were going to drown.”

  She scoffs. “Like I wouldn’t have woken up if my head went underwater.”

  I walk over and sit on the toilet, watching her.

  “Excuse me!” she says with a huff. “I’m in the bath!”

  “The bubbles are covering you.” I suddenly wish I hadn’t put so many in.

  “I’m naked! Get out!”

  “We’re mates, Ivy,” I tell her like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “My body is yours and your body is mine.”

  “My body is not yours,” she snaps as she stares at me with wild eyes. “Now get out!”

  “But you don’t understand. We’re ma—”

  She throws the bar of soap at me and I leap up from the toilet as she grabs the shampoo bottle.

  “Get out!” she screams. “Get out! GET. OUT!!!”

  I fly out of the bathroom and whip the door closed just in time to hear the shampoo bottle slam into it.

  Where the hell did I go wrong?

  I turn when I hear snickering. Cameron, Mary, Roman, and Bailey are eavesdropping in the hallway, trying not to laugh.

  “You didn’t go in there, did you?” Mary asks while staring at me like I’m the world’s biggest idiot.

  “I thought she was drowning!”

  They all shake their heads in disbelief.

  “Was I that clueless when I met you?” Roman asks Bailey.

  “Not at all,” she says as she stares at me. “This is bad.”

  I drop my shoulders, wanting to cry.

  Where the hell do I go from here?

  Chapter Five

  Ivy

  I rush out of the bath and quickly dry off as I stare at the door, hoping the creep doesn’t come back in.

  What the hell was he thinking?

  I grab the clothes he left for me and hold them to my nose, breathing in his alluring scent as I curse him out in my head.

  “Stop it!” I whisper scream at myself. Just because he’s hot and because he saved you doesn’t mean he can act like a perverted creep!

  I quickly put the t-shirt on and glance at myself in the mirror. They’re huge and I look ridiculous. I’ve always been a small girl who never got that growth spurt she was promised, but right now, I look like a child playing in her father’s closet.

  I don’t even bother with the jogging pants. They practically go up to my neck.

  I stick with the old t-shirt with a Sublime logo on it (at least he has good taste in music). It swallows me completely and my whole shoulder sticks out through the neck hole.

  All of my wet clothes stay on the floor as I head to the door while the bath drains.

  My pulse is racing as I slowly open it.

  The first thing I see is a sandwich on the dresser. It looks delicious and my stomach growls in need. I’m starving.

  “Do you feel better?”

  It’s that smooth dominant voice. It’s coming from somewhere in the bedroom. I swing the door open the rest of the way and step into Easton’s room. He’s sitting on the bed, watching me.

  His skin flushes and he runs a hand through his hair as he looks me up and down. My nipples harden under his heated gaze, pressing against the inside of his shirt. I’ve never had a man look at me like that before, so full of want and desire and need and possession. It’s unnerving, but I like it.

  “I do feel better. Thank you.”

  “I’m sorry I barged in there. I wasn’t trying to—”

  “I know,” I say, interrupting him. “I think I’m just hangry.”

  “Hangry?”

  “You know. When you’re so hungry that you’re angry.”

  He laughs. “Help yourself,” he says as he glances at the food on the dresser. “It’s all for you.”

  This man is a dream. I grab the tray and bring it to the bed.

  He watches me as I shamelessly stuff my mouth like a beast.

  “How is it?”

  “Better than leaves,” I say as I swallow a chunk down. “Actually, it’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten. It’s amazing.”

  We don’t talk as I finish the sandwich and then tackle the salad. Food is more important than words right now.

  He smiles when I finish it and collapse onto the bed.

  This must be what after good sex feels like—being completely satisfied in every way.

  I turn to Easton and can’t help but wonder what sex with him would feel like. Having that hard body pressing down on me. Those strong capable hands turning me around in all sorts of positions. Those soft lips kissing trails down my hot skin.

  I start to get warm all over and wet.

  His nostrils flare for a second and it has me wondering just how well shifters can smell. It has me blushing too.

  “So, are your brothers all shifters as well?”

  He nods. �
��All Kodiak bear shifters, yeah.”

  It’s kind of hot. I know some girls are obsessed with bear shifters and even have fan groups online, but I’ve never been one of them. To be honest, I’ve never given them much thought but today might change that.

  “And their mates? Are they shifters too?”

  He tells me everyone’s names and mentions that Mary and Bailey are humans.

  “So, do they feel the mate’s bonding process? Or, is it just the guys who do?”

  “They feel it,” he says as he studies me with curious eyes. “It’s not as intense for a human, but they definitely feel the pull to their other half. It’s usually always the case.”

  We stare at each other for a long time and then I break my eyes away, looking at the bed. I feel a little bit of a pull to this man, but it’s probably because he’s gorgeous and because he saved my life. Any hot-blooded girl would feel the same, I’m sure.

  “Are you feeling any of that?” he eventually asks in a low voice.

  My eyes dart back to his and I raise an eyebrow. “Do I feel the need to throw my life away and hop into bed with you?”

  He perks up. I bite back a laugh.

  “No, I don’t,” I quickly tell him before he gets any ideas. “I feel the need for sleep. That’s it.”

  But I know that’s a lie. It’s getting harder and harder to take my eyes off this man and I keep getting an intense urge to go over there and sit in his lap.

  I keep thinking of how it felt so safe and comforting to have his big warm arms wrapped around me. I loved being carried by him. Being vulnerable to him. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before and my body is craving more of it.

  “You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want. You can stay the night, the week, forever.”

  “Forever?” I say with a laugh. “Are you serious? You don’t even know my last name?”

  “What is it?”

  “If I tell you, you’ll probably stalk me once I leave.”

  “I’m going to be stalking you anyway,” he says with a killer smile. “Might as well make it easier for me.”

  I can’t help but smile too. “Irwin.”

  “Ivy Irwin?”

  “That’s me.”

  I wouldn’t mind a little bit of stalking from him. I already know that I’m going to be thinking of him all the time if I leave. When I leave.