Stella is a young mother who lives with her husband and children on the edge of the Break, an isolated hydro field in Winnipeg. She feels cut off from her extended Métis family, having allowed her husband's fears to limit her visits to the city. She struggles with the psychological weight of witnessing an assault that the police initially dismiss, which surfaces her own long-buried childhood traumas.

Emily is a thirteen-year-old girl and the youngest member of the Charles/Traverse family. She starts out focused on typical teenage milestones, harboring a crush on an older boy and feeling insecure about her appearance. Her life shifts drastically when she attends a local gang party and survives a brutal sexual assault, forcing her to rely heavily on the strength of the women in her family to begin processing the trauma.

Cheryl is the matriarchal anchor for the Charles/Traverse family. She cares for her aging mother, Flora, while constantly monitoring the well-being of her adult daughters, Lou and Paulina. She copes with the historical trauma of losing her sister by painting the women in her life as wolves, though she also battles an alcohol addiction that clouds her mornings.

Tommy is a newly minted Métis police officer who genuinely wants to serve his community. He faces casual racism from his white colleagues and a lack of understanding from his girlfriend. His determination to properly investigate the crime in the Break is fueled by the painful memories of his own abusive father and the empathy he feels for the women affected by violence.

Phoenix is a troubled, violent teenager who masks her deep insecurities behind a hardened exterior. Having lost her sisters to the foster care system and death due to her mother's severe addiction, she seeks a sense of belonging through gang affiliation. She uses intimidation and physical brutality to exert control over others, ultimately leading the assault on Emily.

Lou is a thirty-five-year-old social worker and member of the Charles/Traverse family. She is hardened by the tragedies she encounters in her profession and her own childhood experiences with sexual violence. Left to care for her two sons alone, she is fiercely protective of her family but highly suspicious of the men who enter their lives.

Paulina is Emily's mother, attempting to build a stable household with her new boyfriend, Pete. Her history of childhood sexual abuse makes it profoundly difficult for her to trust men, leading her to constantly doubt Pete's intentions. When Emily is attacked, Paulina is consumed by fear and an immediate drive to protect her daughter.

Zegwan, often called Ziggy, is Emily's fiercely loyal thirteen-year-old best friend. She is cautious and skeptical of the older boys in their neighborhood, only attending the gang party to keep an eye on Emily. After surviving a brutal beating during the same attack that targets Emily, she seeks the comforting, traditional presence of her grandfather to heal.

Flora, affectionately known as Kookom, is the aging matriarch of the Charles/Traverse family. Despite her declining health and moments of severe confusion, she remains a profound source of unconditional love. Her apartment serves as a physical archive of the family's history and a safe haven for her descendants.

Rita is Cheryl's best friend and Lou's coworker. As a social worker and a single mother, she frequently utilizes a tough, abrasive exterior to cope with the relentless stress of her life. She loves her children fiercely but struggles to manage her anxiety, often turning to alcohol and cigarettes while worrying about her son's gang ties.

An older, experienced, and deeply prejudiced white police officer. He frequently ignores the concerns of the Indigenous community, treating Stella's witness statement with condescension. He casually utilizes derogatory terms and nicknames when speaking to his Métis partner, Tommy.

Stella's deceased mother and Cheryl's sister. She watches over her family from the afterlife, wishing she could offer them physical comfort. In life, she was a free-spirited woman who suffered from a severe drug addiction and died tragically following an assault when a hospital failed to treat her in time.

Paulina's new boyfriend, who grew up near a reservation in the bush. He is highly supportive and eager to prove his dedication to Paulina, rushing to the hospital to support her and Emily after the assault. Despite his clear devotion, he faces heavy suspicion from Paulina's traumatized family.

Stella's white husband, who prioritizes his immediate family's physical safety above all else. He lacks an understanding of Stella's cultural background and the realities of her upbringing, inadvertently isolating her from her Métis relatives out of fear for her safety on public transit.

Phoenix's uncle, who prefers to go by "Bishop." He operates as a local drug dealer deeply involved in gang activity. He hosts the chaotic party where Emily is assaulted and prioritizes protecting his illicit operations over his niece's well-being, eventually kicking her out when the police arrive.

An older teenage boy who sells drugs for Alex. He is the object of Emily's crush and the primary reason she attends the fateful party. Despite his tough exterior, he is easily intimidated by Phoenix and quickly bows to her threatening demands to stay away from the neighborhood.

Phoenix's mother and Stella's former best friend. After surviving a brutal gang rape in her youth, she spiraled into severe drug addiction, eventually losing custody of all her daughters to the foster care system. She attempts to reconnect with Phoenix during jail visitations but faces extreme resentment.

Tommy's white girlfriend, who formerly wanted to be a nurse before switching to secretarial school. She harbors deeply prejudiced views against the Indigenous community, referring to locals as sadistic gangsters, which creates a quiet, unbridgeable divide between her and Tommy.

Cheryl's ex-husband and the father of Lou and Paulina. He maintains a traditional, rugged life in the bush and remains a distant but lingering presence in Cheryl's heart. He firmly believes Cheryl needs someone to take care of her, a sentiment she resents.

Lou's teenage son, who has never known his biological father. He is protective of his family and deeply disturbed by the assault on Emily, though his mother worries that he is increasingly drawn into the local gang culture as he seeks solidarity with his friends.

Rita's son and Zegwan's brother. Outraged by the brutal assault on his sister and Emily, he arms himself with a black gang bandana, preparing to seek violent retaliation against the rival gang responsible for the attack.

Lou's husband and a touring musician. He abandons his family for another woman, creating a massive void in their household and forcing Lou to navigate her demanding job and single parenthood simultaneously.