Guarded Ep. 09

"Okay, Jacob... I get it. You need to feel like the big powerful corporate guy right now." Leo sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "But seriously man... do the words, 'small dick energy' mean anything to you?"

"Who are you to talk to me in such a way." The goat snapped sharply at the ram.

"The guy making you a mint, spare me your bruised ego." Leo looked back at Tracey and nodded. "Go get Trixie."

The wolf smirked and stepped from the office. Jacob looked to the two of them. "Who is Trixie?"

"My make up girl," Leo spoke out casually.

Jacob gave him a look like he had lost his mind. "Are you turning my office into a circus to annoy me, Leonard?"

"Annoying you is what I live for, Jacob. Just shut up and pay attention for once in your miserable life, okay? Who knows, you might learn something." The idol sighed and rolled his eyes as he spoke.

Tracey returned with the llama in tow, her bubblegum pink hair making the office seem much brighter. "Well hello there, boss. I've got a little light reading for you." She spoke the words casually, trotting over to the desk with a small handful of papers.

"What is this all about?" The goat cocked a brow, edging back slightly when the llama moved up next to his chair and dropped several papers on his desk.

"Social networking is life, boss. Analytics, that's what this is." The llama spoke out casually before pulling the first sheet of paper from the stack and shoving it in front of the VP. "So here is a graph of traffic data from my own personal blog. I've given you a full year's worth of data on it."

The goat frowned and looked at the various graphs and charts on the printed out paper. "You want to give me the abridged version, I don't have all day to look this over."

"Really? I thought a guy at your level would be interested in this shit above all else... huh... maybe I should apply for your job, eh Jacob?" Trixie snorted the words and jammed her pink nailed fingertip to the graph, the goat scowling at her. "Here is my traffic when I started touring with him. You can see here a steady rise in traffic for the first six months. Then you see a slow decline until right here..."

The llama clicks her tongue. "This was that little situation where Tracey showed up. Here you can see it started to level off and stop its descent, then it actually starts to climb again." She moves her finger over a little further. "Here was the situation where she got into the fight..." Her finger slid back up the chart, showing Leo's popularity had risen back up to near the point where he started.

The goat frowned and looked up at the llama. "Sure but this is just your blo-"

Trixie slapped down a new sheet of paper, then another and another. "Here are analytics of five of the biggest social media sites. They all show similar trends to my blog, boss. Seriously... you think I would bring a knife to a gunfight?"

"Fine, but what about a week ago? Our analysis show that will be a death knell for his career." Jacob was playing along now and Trixie gave him a wicked grin, seeing she had hooked him in her game.

The llama smiled and nodded "Suuuure boss, maybe thirty years ago. Your analytics would be right if it were not for one small thing. Tracey didn't just pop on the scene overnight. She was a slow burn for nearly three months. The fandom had time to see her, study her, and process her as a potential partner for him."

The wolf shivered at the thought of it and showed her teeth. "Seriously, that's fucking creepy, no matter what angle I look at it from!"

All four of the others turned to Tracey as she barked out her protests. The goat cleared his throat. "Fine, but this still doesn't show us anything about the effects of their little Valentine's day stunt."

"No, but the short term does." Trixie produced another sheet of paper. "From my blog... and before you ask, yes these numbers hold up with the other platforms." Again she shoved her finger to the page. "Day after, we see a sharp spike down. Stands to reason, all the fangirls crying. Then the shaming begins..."

"Shaming?" The goat asks curiously.

"Of course..." Trixie nods. "For every crybaby fangirl that went to social media whining, five more fans pounced on them, told them they were awful and they should be happy for EB. I've included several pages of conversations and posts from various sites of such situations, for your casual perusal at a later date." Trixie clicks her tongue. "Here is one of my faves."

Trixie plunks down another sheet of paper, this one a printout from a screenshot of a conversation on one of the video sites the scene was uploaded from.

'Can't believe EB would do this to his fans, so done with him!' The comment had several dozen replies but showed only five positive thumbs up, but over three hundred thumbs down.

"Ha... my favorite is the... 'wring your panties out and wipe your salty tears with them. EB doesn't need fans like you!'" Trixie lets out a snort of laughter. "A-anyway... the other chart. Yeah after that spike, you see his popularity sharply spike back up, and it's still climbing now, six days later."

"Well I will browse all of this, but are you trying to make a specific point?" Jacob gave the llama an impatient and annoyed look.

Trixie gave him a sad smile. "Sweetie... your company is sitting on a gold mine. If you don't keep it, someone else will happily take it from you. That's my 'specific point'" The llama hummed to herself as she turns to walk out.

"Thanks, Trixie. You're the best." Leo gave her a grin when she passed by him.

"I am! You can negotiate me a raise in return for the help." The llama pauses and puts her hands behind her back before turning back to Jacob and giving him a level look. "Some serious advice for you. You're old and set in your ways, but I suggest that if you want to keep your job, you take some classes or something on studying social network analytics. The fact you don't have this in your resume in this day and age, means you're a liability to this group and on borrowed time... boss."

The goat showed his teeth in a glare while the llama stepped away. He cuts his eyes to Leo and spits out, "Fine, she makes her point. I can't deny you have a compelling argument. We would be willing to renew your contract, but under-"

"Ha... you can shut your mouth right here, Jacob." Leo spat the words out, giving him finger guns. "This is the part where I tell you what I want, and you nod your head, sign the line, or I walk."

The goat had obviously had enough and slammed his hand to the desk. "This label can get along fine without you, Leonard! You work under our terms or you don't work at all!"

Tracey made a sarcastic whistle and grinned. "Careful, Darling... you're gonna give him a heart attack at this point."

"You shut up, dog!" Jacob spat out at her.

"Ha... speaking of law... you know that kind of talk is considered hostile and even assault." Tracey cooed the words as she casually slid her fingerless gloves on and checked the grip on them. "Would be a shame to kick your ass and have you thrown in jail, you know... because as a vulnerable woman, I felt threatened..."

Jacob took a deep breath and looked back at the ram who was all cocky grins. "The contract renews under current terms, with the addition that you have a security team issued by the company, not an independent one. You don't agree with that, your career is done."

"Ooph... the sucker punch..." Leo sighed dramatically. The ram cut his eyes to Max. "Ah... Maximillian, would you kindly?"

"Jacob, we've worked together for a long time, so I'm going to say this as nicely as I can. Get off your high horse... I've already spoken with the president of the label directly."

"Bullshit. You don't have that kind of pull, rat!" Jacob snarled at the manager.

Max raised a finger. "I do not... but you know who does? Your top-grossing Idol."

"Ta-da..." Leo flourished his hands over himself with a smug grin.

Max frowned and produced three different documents. "I have offers from three different labels and all of them are willing to pick up Leo as soon as his contract ends here in spring. On his terms, I might add... I've already shown them to the president and he has confirmed the validity of them."

Jacob clenched his teeth, his face growing a shade paler as he slumped back into his chair. Max gave him a smile and shook his head. "The time for pride has passed, Jacob. I was told by the president that we work this out, or there will be hell to pay. That is a payment you will be expected to pay, not us."

Jacob blinked at the words and jabbed a button on his phone. "Page me to John."

The phone clicked back audibly before a smooth rich voice rolled forth from the other end. "Jacob, what's going on?"

"John, I'm here with Maximillian, Leonard, and his... bodyguard, Trisha."

The phone clicked back. "That's Tracey, Jacob."

The goat gave a deep frown cutting his eyes to the wolf who just leveled him with a cocky grin. The phone clicked again. "She's a good girl, really happy for Leo. He deserves it after all the work he's done for us! Wouldn't you agree, Jake?"

"Y-yes, yes I would." The goat muttered the words while the trio before him all smirked.

"So what's up?" John came back on the phone connection.

"N-nothing, John. They just wanted to send their regards." The goat grumbled the words, leveling Leo with a glare.

"Of course, once business is done tell them to come over to my office to say hi. Let's go have lunch with them after you're done, Jacob." The phone clicks off and goes silent.

"Hear that, goat? I'm a good girl... he deserves me..." Tracey mockingly growled the words.

Jacob scowled and peaks his fingertips together. "What do you want?"

"For starters? You to enroll in some networking classes, as Trixie suggested. My talent alone can't keep this outfit trucking." The idol breathed out on his nails before buffing them on his shirt.

When all was said and done, Leo agreed to sign on for another album and tour. The crews salary was doubled from the amount he had given them prior, not the original the studio provided.

He insisted he needed an assistant manager, to help Max with his work. He gave the position to Trixie, under the stipulation she continued to do his hair and makeup before shows.

Of course, he negotiated himself a nice big pay raise. Most importantly he had the label pull the no relationship clause out of the contract. Tracey also had a request, a request Leo was all too happy to include, for the budget of his new tour expenses.

#

"Have you had any more thoughts on what you want to major in yet, Dear?" The older wolf spoke out, while gathering plates from the dinner table.

"Not yet, Mom. I just can't think of anything that really stands out to me." The younger white-haired wolf sighed the words, poking at her leftovers from breakfast.

"Well, Hilde, you graduated almost two years ago this spring. You can't just lounge around forever without a direction." The older wolf spoke the words in a matter of fact tone while washing dishes.

"I know that, Mom. It's not like I don't have a job and pay bills. You make it sound like I'm just mooching off you and Dad!" The younger wolf showed her teeth, her irritation obvious while her tail whips about.

The mother gave a chuckle. "It's not a matter of bills, sweetie. It's a matter of making your own way in life."

"I know, Mom. I kn-" Her ears lifted from her cell phone going off. The wolf tugged it out of her pocket then felt a chill run down her spine. It was Tracey calling her. She had been texting the wolf off and on the last few weeks, but she had never called her before.

Hilde quickly stood and stepped from the table, connecting the call. "H-hey, w-w-what's up, Tracey?"

"Relax kid, I'm not going to kick your ass or throw you out..." The older wolf hummed back on the phone, a grin on her face.

Hilde smiled and folded her ears. "Ha... thanks. So what's up?"

"So let me cut to the chase, you still interested in the bodyguard thing?" Tracey spoke out casually over the phone

"O-of course I am!" The younger white wolf barked out excitedly.

"Hmm... I have a proposition for you. Are you interested?" Tracey showed her teeth, resting her head in Leo's lap while they sat on the sofa in the tour bus, heading to the next show.

"Lay it on me." The younger wolf spoke out excitedly, pacing in her living room now. Her mother had looked out of the kitchen in curiosity over the conversation.

"Leo's tour comes to an end in about two months. We've got about a season to play with after that, time enough to get a little downtime. Also, he will be recording his new album during that time in the spring." The older wolf spoke the words, her free hand drifting up to rub over Leo's face. She grinned, feeling a bit of stubble from the few days on the road.

"Oh! That's exciting, I'm thrilled he will be making another album. W-what's that got to do with me though?" Hilde asked, tilting her head and glancing back at her mother.

"Here's the deal, kid. I'm now the head of his security detail. It's a fancy way of saying I'm getting a partner. We start a new tour up in the summer. Do you see what I'm getting at?" The older wolf growls the words out in a business-like tone.

"Y-yes! I think so... I- I hope so anyway! Is this for real?" The dog felt her voice cracking with excitement, her feet now pacing around the den rapidly, her breath quickening.

"Ha! I'm a real mother fucker, Hilde. I'm cranky and moody, I'm a complete bitch a lot of times. If you're going to be my apprentice I'm going to ride your ass hard, and not in a fun sexual way either! You sure you're wanting this?" Tracey grinned up at Leo, then lifted her ears as the Ram moved down closer to her.

"She's not that bad, Hilde. Don't let her scare you." The idol hummed the words playfully.

Hilde giggled and held the phone from her ear. Her mother in the kitchen hearing the words "Stop stealing my thunder, asshole sheep!"

"Is... is everything okay, dear?" Hilde's mother asked her, a bit of worry in her voice.

The younger wolf grinned at her mom. "Yes, Mom. E-every thing is great! Just... give me a sec!" She got the phone back to her ear. "Yes! Yes, I'm interested. It's fine... you're my idol, Tracey. I would go through fire to work with you!"

"Ignorance is bliss they say." The older wolf cooed the words playfully. "Alright, Hilde. Here is what I need you to do, so clean those ears out and pay attention." She spoke the words sternly.

"Yes ma'am!" Hilde barked out.

"First off, if you ever call me ma'am again. I will kick your ass!" Tracey snarled the words, Leo snorting and laughing out loud. "Ahem... Tour starts in about five months. I will send you information and a school to get your basic licensing taken care of. Start to finish shouldn't be more than a few weeks."

"Y-yes!" The younger wolf thrashed her tail about grinning.

"I will cover the class. If you have a job, quit it. I will wire you ten grand to cover your living and board until the tour starts." Tracey spoke the words casually and shifted to sit up, climbing into Leo's lap and straddling him.

Hilde felt her legs grow week and sat down in the nearby chair. "S-seriously?"

"Hey... don't get all happy. You're not going to be sitting on your ass those five months! I want you in the gym working out. I also have three different martial arts academies picked out in your area. I'm not giving you money, I'm investing in you!" Tracey spat the words out, biting her lower lip as the ram reached back and grabbed her ass with both hands, grinding her smaller body in his lap, letting her feel the bulge in his jeans.

"You're so sexy when you're like this..." He whispered the words into her ear. Tracey blushed and grinned at him, putting her fingertips to his lips.

"I- I understa-" The wolf felt her own cheeks blush, hearing the words Leo spoke to Tracey on the other end of the line. "Erm... Yes, I will do my best!"

"Do better than your best, Hilde! It's my boyfriend's safety in your hands. If I see you in the summer and you can't keep up with me at least somewhat on the mat, the deal's off! I can get my old boss to get me a solid person at the snap of my fingers, you understand little pup? Y-you get what I'm offering you h-here?" Her voice came out sharp and commanding, but it started to waver slightly as Leo went in for her throat, kissing down her neck.

"I do! I understand and I'm so grateful! Tracey I... I swear I will go above and beyond for you. For you and for Leo!" Hilde spoke the words out sharply, as if responding to a commanding officer.

Tracey showed her teeth, trying not to giggle while the ram moved down her throat, his hands kneading at her backside harder now. "Good... girl. Send me your details so I can wire you the funds. I expect... I expect you to get started right away. Go for a run after I... hang up with you."

"Yes ma- erm.. Yes, Tracey!" The younger wolf spoke out eagerly.

Tracey disconnected the phone and tossed it across the bus onto the bed. "You asshole!" She barked out at Leo with a grin, her hands gripping his horns, pulling him from her throat where he had been suckling and marking her.

"I didn't do anything, why are you upset with me, Hun?" The ram cooed the words playfully.

The wolf growled and gripped his shoulders, pushing him down onto the couch, her hips grinding against his lap. "Fucking sheep... always trying to steal my thunder..."

"You were plenty cool, don't worry!" He panted out, biting his lower lip while the wolf slid off his lap and grabbed the front of his jeans.

Tracey gave the ram a grin. "Scene stealing sheep... you better be glad I love you."

"Hilde, sweetie... what was that all about?" Her mother called out from outside of her bedroom door.

A few moments later the young white wolf came out of her room wearing workout pants and a hoodie. "Something really cool, I will tell you about it after I get back from my run!"

"But... it's snowing outside, sweetie..." Her mother blinked at her daughter in confusion.

The smaller wolf gave her mother a toothy grin. "Then I will have to run faster to keep my heart rate up and stay warm!" She pushed gently past her mother and out the front door. "Be back later, Mom, love you!"