S L Harpel

On the wake of a horrific Defective attack, Ella Blakely is propelled forward again into a whole new world. Her Cream family seeks refuge in the Central Community under the protection of her arranged fianc and future President of the Protectorate, Theo Reynolds. Ella doesn't even have time to figure out what clicked on inside her when she faced a Defective inside her war-torn Community, nor does she know if she can control it. Instead, she must stuff it deep down inside her and focus on more pressing matters. Now she must play both sides of the game better than ever before. Ella is thrown in with Theo, making the rounds to save face for the Protectorate, and at the same time, she must devise a plan to help Jake escape before his treasonous sentence is carried out.At night she is plagued with the person tucks away inside her mind. Is it the answer to the question that has gnawed at her these few months: Where do Defectives come from?It only makes sense that Defectives still roam the Outskirts because they were once like her. Is she destined to let the beast inside free? Will she become like the monsters that killed so many of her people that night of the attack? More then this, Ella must finally choose sides when her two worlds meet face to face. Does she belong with Jake, fighting those that oppress, no matter the cost? OR Will she stand with Theo who strives to create peace from the inside?

Ella, born a starving destitute in the Outskirts, is now living the dream the Protectorate has designed. Chosen as a child, removed from her family, and brought into the safety of the Community, Ella's life is laid out by the First Generation Creams that bought and paid for her. It's the life that all other Chosen dream of, but for Ella, things aren't always as good as they seem.Inside she is safe from the monsters that roam the Outskirts. Inside she is stripped and molded into a Cream. Inside she will become the voice of the less fortunate that she once was. Inside she is never asked, only told what she will become.Ella struggles to play along and toe the line. Although this is easy for most, it is contrary to her nature. She fears her missteps might reveal her deepest secret. She is desperate to be compliant, if only to stay hidden.Will Ella become the obedient, grateful daughter she is required to be, or will she find the courage to fight back against the system and truly stand up for those without a voice?Can she choose her own path, or is she destined to live the life allotted to her?What if they find out who she truly is?