Pete dragged in deep, ragged breaths, his gaze bouncing from Voren to Sera and then back to Nicole. Something broke loose inside him, a dam giving way all at once.
He yanked her into his arms so hard it almost knocked the air out of both of them, burying his face in her hair. His whole body sagged against hers like he had been holding himself upright for far too long. His shoulders shook. His fingers dug into the back of her shirt like he was afraid she might disappear if he loosened his grip even a little.
"You're real. You're actually real." His voice cracked on the last word, thick and rough. "I thought I was losing my mind. I thought I was going crazy."
