It was why he, himself, hated Vane.
But patience was a virtue. Not just to humans, but especially to animals.
Petra sniffed, then frowned. She came closer until she buried her nose against Fury's shirt.
"Vane," she breathed. "You caught him?"
"Where's his hide?" Stefan asked immediately.
Fury gave Stefan a hooded glare. "You're all pathetic. Haven't any of you ever learned that half the fun of the kill is running it to ground?"
Petra cocked her head. "Meaning?"
"I know where Vane is. But it's not enough to kill your enemy. First you screw with his head."
Bride pushed the salad around on her plate as she tried not to stare at Vane.
There was something so compelling about him. It was also disconcerting to be around someone so lean and muscular. At least with Taylor, he'd been skinnier than her, but he didn't work out, and had love handles of his own.
There wasn't an ounce of excess on Vane's entire body. Her face flamed as she remembered just how great that man looked naked.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Fine."
"Why aren't you eating?"
She shrugged. "I guess I'm not hungry after all."
He took the fork from her hand and twirled the spaghetti around the tines, then held it up for her.
"I'm not a baby, Vane."
"I know." His hot look scorched her. "Eat for me, Bride," he said in a low, commanding tone. "I don't want you to go hungry. There's nothing good about starving."
From the tone of his voice, she could tell he spoke from experience. "You've been hungry?"
"Take a bite and I'll answer."
"I'm not a child."
"Believe me, I know." He wagged the fork for her.
She shook her head at his serious play, then opened her mouth.
He carefully placed the fork inside so that she could close her mouth around it before he slid the fork back out.
Bride chewed while he twirled the fork in her pasta. "Yes, I've gone hungry.
My parents weren't nurturing or caring like yours. As soon as a male is old enough, they throw him out and he either learns to to survive or he dies."
Vane's heart twisted as he remembered his youth. The pain and constant hunger. He'd almost died more times than he could count that first year on his own.
Until he hit puberty, he'd been a wolf cub. Virtually overnight, he had become human. His magical powers had been new to him and he'd been stuck in human form when he needed to be a wolf.
Unused to being human, he couldn't track or kill prey. He'd been blitzed with unfamiliar feelings and emotions that wolves didn't have. Worst of all, his senses were dulled in human form. Humans might see better in daylight, but they couldn't hear as clearly, move as quickly, or smell their enemies around them. They didn't have the physical strength to fight bare-handed against other predators and animals for food and protection.
Nor could they kill as easily. They were consumed by guilt, horrified by bloodshed.