Frank Talbot, Asher's father, steps down from his role as Pack Beta, a position he held for 28 years. He and his wife leave Dahlia to fulfill their dream of traveling the world. Asher stays in Dahlia with the rest of the Shaw Pack. David is appointed the new Pack Beta under Gabe.

Colm Greer, Milo's father, finally seeks help for his gambling addiction. He begins to make meaningful progress, but his relationship with Milo remains strained.

The Keaton Pack makes the unanimous decision to move north to Ferris, feeling that Dahlia has grown too crowded for them to comfortably operate.

December: "Sweetheart", an accomplished Stealth and Department Investigator, begins an investigation into a Shade loose in Dahlia. It was last suspected of being present at that year's Elemental and Energetic Games. The Shaw Pack worked as supplementary security there, and "Sweetheart" seeks out Milo to see if he has any information. They specifically choose to approach him rather than another Pack member or the Pack Alpha because Milo's father was a Department Investigator. This backfires though, because Milo has a very strained relationship with his father and feels no obligation to the Department. Ultimately Milo provides what little information he has, and asks to be kept posted.

"Sweetheart" and Milo agree to hunt the Shade together. They're ultimately successful, though Milo sustains injury while defending "Sweetheart".

“Sweetheart” heals Milo so that he can avoid suspicion from his Pack, who he has chosen not to inform about the situation. A relationship blooms between the two of them.

September 3rd: Gabriel Shaw is struck by a drunk driver in the evening on his drive home and dies in the accident.

David is appointed to be Pack Alpha and accepts the role, although he feels deeply unprepared for it. He feels isolated from the rest of the Pack in his grief, and struggles to balance that grieving with the responsibilities thrust upon him. Distance quickly grows between him and his friends as he struggles to find a middle-ground between being Alpha and being himself.

David appoints Asher to be his Beta. The decision is heavily questioned by the rest of the Pack, causing division and only increasing David's self-doubts. Asher faces severe skepticism and criticism from the Pack members, which shakes his confidence in his ability to do the job and puts him under heavy strain. He feels isolated not unlike David does, with the majority of his support system gone; his parents and sister no longer live in Dahlia, and his friendship with David, once a source of support and comfort, is becoming increasingly complicated and distant.