Protected parcel oddly sufficed (9)
I believe the answer is:
preserved
'protected' is the definition.
(preserving is a kind of protecting)
'parcel oddly sufficed' is the wordplay.
'oddly' means one should take alternating letters (letters in the odd-numbered positions are used).
'sufficed' becomes 'served' (serving is a kind of sufficing).
The alternating letters of 'parcel' are 'pre'.
'pre'+'served'='PRESERVED'
(Other definitions for preserved that I've seen before include "Maintained in an unaltered condition" , "Prevented from decay" , "Prevented from decaying or spoiling" , "Kept safe from harm" , "Kept in an unaltered condition" .)