Page 10 of Guarded By the Bigfoot (Mystic Ridge Monster Mates #1)

brOCK

P arker slept beside me, one hand pressed against my chest, right over my heart.

The simple touch sent waves of contentment through me.

Her dark hair spread across my pillow like midnight shadows, catching the early morning light that filtered through the windows.

Even now, hours after we’d come together, the intensity of her touch took my breath away.

I hadn’t slept. Couldn’t sleep. Not with the weight of everything pressing down on me.

The monitoring crystal on my bedside table pulsed with a soft blue glow, displaying real-time data from the Veil.

Each fluctuation made my fur stand on end, sending ripples of unease through my body.

But I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Parker’s face.

She looked so peaceful, so trusting. The fierce ARC agent who’d stormed into my life was still there, but in sleep, her walls were down.

Every protective instinct in my body screamed to keep her safe, to shield her from what was coming.

But Parker Woods wasn’t the type to be sheltered, and that truth both terrified and thrilled me.

The monitor flashed red before settling back to blue. My muscles tensed, but I forced myself to stay still. I felt her stir, responding to my tension even in sleep. She mumbled something, burrowing closer to my warmth. The trust in that simple gesture made my heart clench.

If things went wrong at the Veil, there’d be no coming back.

No. I couldn’t think about that now. Couldn’t let myself dwell on what might happen when I faced the Dreadnull and whatever else was intent on creeping in.

Instead, I focused on memorizing every detail of her face.

The slight curve of her lips, the faint freckles across her nose, the way her eyelashes cast shadows on her cheeks.

If these were to be our last moments together, I wanted to remember everything.

The monitor flashed again, more insistent this time, and Parker’s eyes fluttered open. Her eyes, still heavy with sleep but sharp with awareness, met mine. A soft smile curved her lips, but I felt her concern.

“You didn’t sleep,” she said, her voice soft. Not a question.

“Couldn’t.” I brushed a strand of hair from her face, letting my fingers linger against her skin. “Someone had to keep watch.”

She pushed herself up on one elbow, the sheets sliding down to reveal bare skin marked with my touches from the night before. The sight still made my breath catch.

“Any changes?”

“Stable. For now.” I gestured to the monitor, which pulsed with an ominous rhythm. “But the fluctuations are getting stronger. More organized.”

I shifted to face Parker as she sat up, pulling the sheet back around her. The morning sun turned her skin to liquid gold, every mark I’d left on her neck and collarbone a reminder of our night together. Her eyes met mine, filled with questions she wasn’t sure how to voice.

“Tell me what this is between us,” she said, her voice soft but determined. “I need to understand why everything feels so... intense.”

I reached out, trailing my fingers along her arm. The touch sent electricity through my body, making my heart race.

“It’s deeper than just wanting each other. When I’m with you, it’s like finding a missing piece of myself I never knew was gone. Every emotion, every sensation is heightened because we’re connected on this profound level.”

“So when I feel this pull toward you...”

“I feel it too. That energy drawing us together, making it impossible to stay apart.” I cupped her face in my hands. “But it’s more than physical attraction. When you’re hurting, I hurt. When you’re happy, that joy fills me up, too. We’re equals. Partners in every way.”

Her fingers traced the line of my jaw. “I’ve never felt anything like this before. It’s terrifying and amazing at the same time.”

“What we have is rare,” I said, leaning into her touch. “Most people go their whole lives without experiencing this kind of connection. You’re extraordinary, Parker. Your strength, your fire, they call to everything I am. And I felt it on the mountain when I found you.”

She smiled, a mix of wonder and vulnerability in her expression. “So I’m stuck with you then?”

“Forever,” I promised, pulling her closer. “If you’ll have me.”

Parker’s laugh filled the room, a sound that made my heart skip.

“Forever’s a long time, especially with someone as stubborn as you.”

“Me? Stubborn?” I said. “I’m a perfect example of flexibility and compromise.”

“Says the guy who insists I’m in constant danger and won’t let me help.”

“Because you are.”

She rolled her eyes, but her smile remained. “We’ll see about that.”

“Yes, we will.”

Her expression softened, but I saw uncertainty creep into her eyes.

“That’s just it, Brock. There’s so much about your world I don’t understand. It’s just the basics because you keep it that way. Wards, crystals, ancient prophecies.” She gestured to the monitoring crystal. “I’m just a human who happens to be good at fighting.”

“Parker.”

“No, let me finish.” She pulled away, wrapping the sheet tighter around herself. “You’re a Guardian. You’ve got all these responsibilities, this ancient power. What if I can’t keep up? What if I’m not enough?”

I reached for her again, relief flooding through me when she didn’t pull away.

“You’re the strongest person I know. You’ve faced down things that would make most humans run screaming.”

“Yeah, but.”

“And you did it with no fancy powers or ancient bloodlines. Just pure skill and that incredible stubborn streak of yours.”

She snorted. “There you go with the stubborn thing again.”

“Because it’s true.” I traced the line of her jaw. “You don’t need to understand everything about my world. You just need to be you. The fierce, brilliant, occasionally terrifying woman I can’t get enough of.”

“Occasionally terrifying?” A spark of mischief lit her eyes. “I must be losing my touch.”

“Well, you are pretty adorable when you’re sleeping. Kind of ruins the whole scary ARC agent image.”

She launched herself at me, pinning me to the bed with surprising strength.

“Take that back.”

“Make me,” I challenged, grinning up at her.

Her hair fell around us like a curtain as she leaned down, her lips inches from mine.

“You’re impossible.”

“Part of my charm.”

The crystal flared brilliant red, cutting off her words. A surge of dark energy rippled through the Veil, strong enough that I felt it in my bones. Parker felt it too. I watched her eyes widen as the darkness washed over us both.

“It’s back.” The tone in her voice was masked by determination.

I was already moving, retrieving my clothes from where they’d been discarded the night before.

“They’re testing the boundaries again, but this time...” I checked the readings, my heart sinking. “The energy signature is different. Stronger. More focused.”

Parker scrambled out of bed, reaching for her own clothes.

“Then I’ll call in backup. Let me contact the ARC Elite Team.”

“No.” The word came out harsher than I intended, making her flinch. I softened my tone. “This isn’t something your team can handle. This is Guardian business.”

“Guardian business?” She stepped into my path, hands on her hips. “I was sent here to investigate these exact fluctuations. Why do you think ARC assigned me to this mountain? We’ve always monitored the Veil activity.”

“ARC was restricted from the Veil territory for good reason,” I growled. “This isn’t your typical disturbance.”

“And in that time, we’ve developed specialized equipment specifically designed to handle Veil anomalies.” Her eyes flashed with determination. “The Elite Team is trained and equipped for this. You’re being stubborn and overprotective.”

The monitoring crystal pulsed again, more urgently. Time was running out. I caught her shoulders, meeting her fierce gaze.

“Listen to me. No amount of special equipment will help. The Elite Team would be slaughtered. The Dreadnull is not just some rogue entity that your tech can contain. It’s ancient, powerful, and right now, desperate. That makes it more dangerous than anything your team has ever faced.”

“Let me help you,” she pleaded, her hands clenching in my shirt. “We’re stronger together. This has to mean something.”

“This burden has been mine alone for centuries. There is no backup. No replacement if I fail.” I pulled her close, breathing in her scent. “If anything happened to you...”

She pushed against my chest, but not hard enough to break free. “Please, Brock, don’t.”

The crystal’s pulsing increased, casting red shadows across the room. Outside, the wind picked up, carrying the scent of dark magic. I pressed my forehead to hers, letting her feel everything through our bond. My love, my fear, my determination.

“I have to try,” I whispered against her lips. “Not just for Mystic Ridge, but for you. For us. For everyone. You have to leave.”

Her hands pressed against my chest, anger and fear radiating through her grip. “You can’t just order me away like this!”

“I’m not asking, Parker.” My voice came out in a low growl, frustration making my control slip. “You need to leave the mountain. Now.”

“The hell I will!” She stepped closer, defiant even as I towered over her. “I’m not some helpless civilian you can shuffle off to safety.”

The windows rattled with another surge of energy, making my fur bristle. I grabbed her shoulders, gentle despite my rising temper.

“This isn’t about your capabilities. This is about power you can’t possibly understand.”

“You’re wrong.” She shoved against my chest, her eyes flashing. “You expect me to just walk away while you sacrifice yourself?”

“Yes!” The word came out as a roar, echoing off the walls.

I felt her heart breaking, felt her rage and fear and desperate need to protect me. But I couldn’t yield. Not on this.