Chapter 103: Moonheart Grass

Sophie quietly sized Garrett up. Although he clearly looked down on the Volturi at every opportunity, he didn't seem to belong to the category of vampires Jane had described as "those idiots who don't know what's good for them." He was the sort who openly disapproved of the Volturi while still having enough sense to step aside whenever they appeared. There was something refreshingly pragmatic about him, a wandering adventurer who valued survival over pride. 

If I ever become a wanderer myself... I might need someone like Garrett's help someday.

"If you're willing to wait until I finish what I came here to do," Sophie offered with a friendlier smile than before, "I know a way to find food and solve your little feeding problem, Garrett."

Garrett immediately sat upright, genuine interest replacing his lazy demeanor. "Tell me what you're here for first. Is it dangerous? If it sounds interesting enough, maybe I'll add it to my list of adventures." 

Sophie met his gaze without hesitation and answered, "Werewolves. Or, if you prefer the old name... the Children of the Moon. Interested?" 

Garrett removed the arm covering his eyes and skipped the usual motion of standing altogether, springing directly to attention with an eager grin. 

"That sounds incredibly dangerous. Perfect. Exactly my kind of adventure. Lead the way, Miss Newborn."

The starlight illuminated his handsome face, highlighting sharp, sculpted features softened by warm, expressive eyes. He looked like the sort of man who belonged on a stage, singing melancholy love songs beneath the moonlight. 

Sophie had seen more than enough movie stars in her previous life, yet even she couldn't help admitting that Garrett was extraordinarily beautiful. 

He might even outshine the Elven King.

The anxiety she had been carrying ever since Caius abandoned her gradually melted away. Sophie slipped her jacket back on, making sure the Volturi crest disappeared beneath the fabric before extending her hand once more. 

Garrett accepted it without hesitation, but the moment their palms met, a loud crack echoed through the quiet night as the bones in his hand fractured beneath her newborn vampire strength. "Aaagh!" Garrett howled dramatically while venom rapidly repaired the damage. Sophie released him in panic. "I'm so sorry! Please don't hold a newborn's lack of control against me."

Garrett flexed his completely healed hand before giving it a casual shake. "If we actually run into a werewolf, don't leave me behind and run." He paused before correcting himself with a laugh. "No... you'll definitely leave me behind. Right now, nobody alive can outrun you." 

Sophie nodded with complete seriousness, as though discussing an entirely reasonable contingency. "That's true. In that case, would you like me to deliver any last words to your family if things go badly?" Garrett spread both arms dramatically and gestured toward himself. "I'm a drifter. I don't have any family left. Friends, though... I have a few. Come on, I'll show you where they are."

Using the rooftop as a springboard, Garrett leaped effortlessly onto the nearby cliff face and immediately began climbing. Their granite-hard skin and powerful fingers made scaling sheer rock walls feel no more difficult than walking across level ground. 

Sophie had never seen anyone climb with such reckless freedom before. Her mind barely had time to process what he was doing before her own body instinctively followed, leaving her clinging to the mountainside alongside him.

Garrett's already battered shoes finally gave up entirely. After kicking twice against the rock face, both worn-out boots slipped from his feet and tumbled into the ravine below. Barefoot, his climbing speed increased even further. 

Afraid of falling behind, Sophie quickly copied him, kicking off both her shoes and socks. The cool stone beneath her feet felt surprisingly comfortable after removing the damp footwear, though she couldn't help thinking that no Volturi guard would ever willingly sacrifice their dignity like this.

"Hurry up!" Garrett called over his shoulder. "Let's see who reaches the top first, Newborn!"

His challenge instantly ignited Sophie' competitive spirit. Forgetting every bit of Volturi composure she'd been trying to maintain, she climbed with both hands and feet, moving across the cliff with astonishing speed. Within moments she surged past Garrett, leaving him laughing loudly as she overtook him.

Garrett had already scouted the surrounding area beforehand. The high ridge was battered by fierce winds, but it rewarded them with an unobstructed view stretching for miles in every direction. 

Pointing westward, he said, "Over there lives my closest friend, Carlisle Cullen. He's the patriarch of a... vegetarian coven." As he spoke, he absentmindedly traced Carlisle's outline in the air with one finger. Then he turned toward another direction. "And over there is the Irish coven. They're newer friends of mine. They knew I enjoyed dangerous adventures, so they suggested I come to Britain."

Sophie tilted her head curiously. "If they're such good friends, why not form a coven together?"

Garrett smiled faintly as the wind stirred his long hair. "I've been alone for too many years. I don't know how to live as part of a family anymore. Wandering has become my destiny." 

Though already more than two centuries old, Garrett was still considered relatively young by vampire standards. His transformation had happened unexpectedly, leaving him without anyone to guide or teach him. He had wandered the world completely alone for years before finally understanding what kind of immortal creature he had become.

Garrett scratched his head without the slightest embarrassment, apparently long accustomed to bits of grass caught in his hair, patched trousers, and cracked footwear. Lowering his voice almost sheepishly, he admitted, "Besides... I never really got used to being a vegetarian." Seeing Sophie' puzzled expression, he elaborated, "Animal blood. That's what we call a vegetarian diet. It tastes... strange, and it weakens you somewhat, but your eyes turn a beautiful golden color. You'll recognize members of the Cullen family immediately."

"I'm looking forward to meeting them someday," Sophie replied sincerely.

….

The battlefield where Caius had exterminated the werewolves centuries ago lay not far from the ridge. Perhaps long ago, actual werewolves had climbed this very mountain, transforming beneath the full moon and howling into the night sky. 

Thanks to her remarkably keen sense of smell and Caius' relentless training over the past several days, Sophie quickly located the place where the werewolf scent lingered most strongly, a densely overgrown mountainside covered in lush vegetation.

"I think I smell something strange too." Garrett wrinkled his nose as he followed behind her. Having never seen a werewolf in person, he had been fascinated when he learned that the Volturi supposedly preserved an actual specimen in their collection. 

Sophie frowned thoughtfully. "This doesn't make sense. It's been several hundred years, and we're outdoors. How could the scent possibly remain this strong?" She inhaled carefully again. "Actually... it even smells a little fresh."

Garrett immediately suggested that a living werewolf might still be nearby, but Sophie rejected the idea outright. As natural enemies, any surviving werewolf would instinctively trigger their predatory senses and make every instinct scream in warning. Yet neither of them felt the slightest biological alarm. Their greatest enemies simply weren't here.

"How about a competition?" Garrett proposed enthusiastically. "Whoever finds the answer first wins."

Still convinced there might be hidden werewolves somewhere nearby, Garrett headed off in one direction while Sophie stubbornly searched another. She remained close to the foot of the mountain, where the bright starlight combined with her vampire vision made the darkness almost meaningless. Unfortunately, neither of them made much progress.

"Sophie!" Garrett finally called after searching in vain for quite some time. "Why do you keep walking in circles?"

She looked down at the trail of footprints she'd unconsciously left behind and suddenly froze.

I really have been circling the same spot.

The footprints outlined a distinct area.

And inside that area...

There was only one thing growing in abundance.

Plants.

Garrett's casual observation instantly changed the direction of her thoughts. Without caring in the slightest about appearances, Sophie dropped to her knees and began digging frantically through the vegetation instead of searching for bones or tracks.

"Garrett!" she shouted excitedly. "We've struck gold today!"

Kneeling on the ground, Sophie triumphantly held up a clump of black, fuzzy-looking plants and waved them excitedly in the air.

The answer had been obvious all along.

She had simply failed to see the forest for the trees.

Garrett immediately abandoned his fruitless search and hurried back, crouching beside her to inspect the unimpressive plant. Pinching off a small tuft, he examined it repeatedly before lifting it beneath his nose. "Werewolf fur?"

"No." Sophie smiled brightly. "This is Moonheart Grass. Most of the time it looks like clumps of black wolf hair, but when the full moon rises, it blooms into luminous white flowers." She remembered seeing a detailed illustration among the journals Marcus had once thrown at her to study. 

"It can grow where werewolf blood has soaked into the earth. It's used to neutralize werewolf venom and is also considered an incredibly valuable ornamental plant. It once sold for astonishing prices. Unfortunately, after werewolves nearly vanished from both Europe and Asia, Moonheart Grass disappeared with them. Even the Volturi don't have any preserved specimens left."

Each of them carefully harvested a small bundle before tucking it safely into a pocket.

This discovery alone qualified as a major breakthrough.

Patting the pocket of her jacket, Sophie smiled with satisfaction.

This should be more than enough to report back.

Brushing the dirt and grass from her clothes, she looked toward Garrett and said, "Come on. As promised, I'll help you find some food."