80. (Lexi POV)

Lying in the fetal position in that icy room, shivering uncontrollably, I felt as if my very core were being hollowed out by the cold. Every muscle in my body was clenched in a futile attempt to generate warmth. The air felt like sharp needles against my skin. Each breath I took was a struggle, as if I were inhaling shards of glass. My thoughts were scattered, frozen fragments in a desolate landscape.

And then, something changed. Deep within, an unfamiliar sensation emerged—a glimmer of warmth that defied the frigid atmosphere around me. It was not the dual source of comforting heat I'd come to associate with Clay and Luke, but it was unmistakable warmth, a radiant glow replacing the chilling void. My muscles relaxed a fraction, my clenched jaw softened, and my racing heart eased its frenetic pace.

As I wondered about the source of this newfound warmth, my mark began to tingle. A soft, electric buzz that pulsed rhythmically, like a gentle heartbeat under my skin. I knew that tingle; t