Lewis is now living as a great white shark in the Pacific Ocean. He realizes very quickly that he regrets leaving Wren behind and tries desperately to swim back to her, but he cannot find her. He resigns himself to being alone. During this time, his regrets overwhelm him, and his mental health begins to decline. He hates having to kill other animals in order to eat and attempts to starve himself in protest. These attempts fail.

One day, Lewis encounters another formerly human shark named Margaret C. Finnegan. Margaret was diagnosed with her mutation as a child and was released as a teen, so she clings to the memory of her parents by insisting that others refer to her by her full name. Lewis is initially irritated by Margaret’s ebullient personality and by her incessant need to sing early 2000s pop hits. Nevertheless, he decides to continue traveling with her because he is starved for company and Margaret knows how to survive in the ocean much more effectively than he does. She teaches him how to hunt.

Margaret develops a crush on Lewis that he does not reciprocate.