World Political Review

"You smell like something forbidden... and now that I've tasted you, there's no going back. You're mine, omega. Every inch of you." The night Selene came of age for the Claiming ceremony, Alpha Rael took her ... and never let go. Night after night, he comes back for her while she surrenders to the heat of his touch, believing she is the exception. The luckiest among the Omegas. But dreams shatter fast in a world ruled by ruthless Alphas and political bonds. When Selene discovers she is pregnant, Rael crushes her heart by marrying another. Shattered and ashamed, she fled… vowing to raise her child far from the man who betrayed her. Years later, her heart is slowly healing in the arms of another: Kaelen, a strong, devoted Alpha who just happens to be Rael’s cousin. He held her when she broke, stayed when Rael didn’t….and now he’s her mate. But Rael is hunting her like a man possessed, desperate to make her his own by all means. Now, Selene stands at a dangerous crossroads. Her body cannot get over Rael’s touch, but her soul aches with betrayal. And her mate…the man who rebuilt her…grips her hand tightly and whispers. "Please, don’t return to my cousin. Your soul is bound to mine."

Xalara Silvyn, a seemingly powerless girl from the Shadowveil slums, is claimed as a fated mate by Cassian Holt, heir to a powerful noble house of ember magic. After being brought to his estate, she discovers their bond was merely Cassian's temporary fascination. At his engagement gala to Vionna Kress, he publicly betrays Xalara, relegating her to servitude under his cruel fiancée. As Vionna systematically humiliates Xalara, the crystal pendant Xalara found in a hidden chamber beneath the Veil becomes her sole comfort. With help from Cassian's brother Verin, she learns the crystal may connect to House Silvyn—a noble family of essence-based primal magic supposedly destroyed centuries ago. When Vionna arranges to transfer Xalara for potentially fatal bond severance after her wedding to Cassian, Xalara's desperate situation takes an unexpected turn. During the wedding feast, she encounters Lord Elaric Nox, a feared shadow magic tyrant avoiding political marriage proposals. After overhearing his frustrations with traditional arrangements, Xalara's impulsive quip "Where do I sign?" intrigues him. Elaric's emissaries arrive at the wedding with a formal offer—a contract marriage of mutual benefit. Elaric gains a shield against political marriage pressure while offering Xalara protection from Vionna and access to knowledge about her crystal and heritage. Their three-year contract specifies a purely practical arrangement with no emotional obligations. At House Nox, Xalara begins training in essence magic under Elaric's guidance, discovering her "minor" warming ability is actually rare primal magic thought extinct. As she awakens to her true abilities and learns about her possible connection to House Silvyn, the bond with Cassian naturally fades. Meanwhile, a complex but respectful dynamic develops between Xalara and Elaric as they navigate their unconventional arrangement.

I was sitting at the police station. My landlord scolded me harshly and pointed at my nose. Out of nowhere, my mother called and berated me mercilessly. “Chloe went to your place and disappeared! Did you lose her?!” “I know you’ve had grudges against me and your brother all these years, but how could you take it out on your niece?” In my previous cycle, when my mother told me Chloe was missing, I panicked and searched for her everywhere. Instead of helping, my mom and brother’s entire family dragged me to court without hesitation. I could not understand it. Chloe disappeared on her way to my place. How was that my fault? I begged the police to clear my name and review all the surveillance footage in the city. But the footage showed Chloe arriving at my door that day, and I opened the door for her. After that, she was gone, as if she had vanished into thin air. I stared blankly at the footage of her hopping cheerfully into my apartment. I had no way to explain myself. My sister-in-law lost it. She was convinced I had killed Chloe and threw boiling oil at my face in a fit of rage. I ended up in the hospital. I was disfigured and completely crushed, both physically and emotionally. No matter how hard I tried, I could not recall ever opening the door for Chloe. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day Chloe disappeared.

Sofia Miller is a shy and quiet girl from Ohio who moved to New York to chase her dreams of being an actress and making it big in the world after the death of both her parents in tragic untimely ways, fortunately, and unfortunately, her path gets completely change when she meets a ruthless, arrogant and emotionless man who saved her life on her first day in New York City, Spencer McCarthy, the CEO of the McCarthy hotels and a and mafia boss which he took over after his father who founded the hotel and the operations was murdered. Their lives get interwoven and she begins to fall deeply for him only to find out that he is betrothed to one of New York City's socialites and the daughter of a political executive whose father helped keep the government off his dealings, Kara Rodrigo. What will become of Sofia's life now that she is in such a dynamic? Will she ever achieve her dream? What happens when she finds out he is a lord, and mafia boss and has committed several murders? Will she still love him? What will Kara do when she finds out her husband-to-be is cheating on her with a commoner? Will Spencer find his father's killer? Who will Spencer choose between Kara, his betrothed whose father he is in business with or Sofia , a common nobody from Ohio? Will Sophia's love triumph on the crossfire?.

Blanche Lucille Emerson, a relentless and calculating Captain haunted by the loss of her wife, Venus, in a mysterious accident. Now driven by a thirst for vengeance, Blanche navigates a world of secrets, betrayal, and political machinations as she digs into the layers of deceit that surround her family's powerful pharmaceutical empire. Alongside her, Yama Laine, a trusted ally, and Cessair, her estranged sister, reveal their own hidden agendas. Blanche uncovers a vast conspiracy linked to General Grey and an underground organization known as the Black Spectre, which her father, Silas Grey, once controlled. The deeper she digs, the more she realizes that not only her wife’s death but also her parents' and countless others' were orchestrated to protect a dark secret connected to her family. As Blanche takes calculated risks and enlists Yama’s help, her plan teeters between survival and self-destruction. Along the way, her encounters with spies like Aracelli and the revelation of her sister Cessair’s resentment deepen the conflict. Old alliances crumble, as personal motivations clash, and long-buried truths about her family and its ties to the Black Market come to light. All the while, Blanche's mind is torn between her mission and her lingering love for Venus. With a final showdown on the horizon, the question remains: Can Blanche take down the enemy and clear her family’s name, or will the weight of the past bury her alive? Catch-22: To Die is To Live Hard is a story of revenge, loyalty, and the heavy price of uncovering the truth.

"I know your reputation quite well, Mr. Storm. You're cold, calculating, and a merciless man. Everyone fears you. Well, everyone except me." I tilt my head, intrigued at her answer. At the defiance brimming in the depths of her hazel eyes. "You're almost correct, Ms. Han. Everyone fears me, including you, even if you say otherwise." She bit down on her bottom lips, eyes trained on mine, but her fingers were shaking. I take a step forward. Then another. And another, until I have her backed up against a wall, her head shifted to the side, giving me a good view of her spotless, delicate neck. "W-what are you doing?" "Punishing you." "You're sick." "Wait till I'm done, mio cara. I'm sure that review will change for the worst." — Twenty-two-year-old Reneigh Han has been working for the Storm Enterprises since she got out of grad school. She cherishes her position, but when fate backs her into a corner and forces her to steal from the enterprises, she tries to take the secret to the grave. Elijah Storm is as ruthless as they come. A much feared Mafia Don and leader of the Storm Mafia. No one steals from him and goes scot free. When he finds out Reneigh's secret, he's determined to give her a second chance to prove her loyalty to him. Reneigh would be his for six months. A devious arrangement, yes, but Elijah Storm always gets what he wants. And he wants Reneigh. As his.

"I told you to stay away," Evanora whispered, her voice wavering. Eros's cold smile widened. "You made your choice. You came to me, offered yourself that night. Now, you think you can run?" "It was supposed to be one night," she breathed, meeting his gaze. Eros traced her jawline, his voice low. "One night wasn’t enough, tesoro. It never could be." He pinned her against the wall, his lips brushing her ear. "And if I have to burn the world to keep you, I will." _________ Sometimes, a single mistake can either ruin your life or change it forever. Evanora Scott, the youngest and most powerful woman in New York City, had everything—a successful career respect, and control, an excellent actress. But after finding her soon to be husband in bed with her best friend, she made a reckless decision. Heartbroken and drunk, she decided to give away the one thing she’d always guarded—her virginity. She chose the man in front of her, a stranger who radiated danger and mystery. Hypnotized by his charisma and the alcohol in her system, she surrendered herself to him, never expecting to see him again after that night. But she couldn’t have been more wrong. She had fallen into the clutches of Eros Kane, the most feared billionaire. A man with more than just political power—he was the embodiment of terror and sin. In the mortal world, he was a billionaire with influence, but in the underworld, he was something far more dangerous. Lucifer. The King of Darkness. The creator of sin and ruler of hell itself. After that one night, Eros couldn’t forget her. She’d imprinted herself on his dark soul, and now, there was only one solution. She had to be his—forever. She has to become his wife....

I'm hospitalized after a car accident that nearly costs me my leg. Meanwhile, my fiancé is too busy in the room next door taking care of his first love. She's only faking a sprained ankle. From that same room, I hear Johan Rivera's mocking voice. "Raelyn? She's just a pawn the old man picked for a political marriage. She's not even good enough to be your stand-in." In that moment, something in me finally breaks. I watch the news coverage of a rising business star who's surrounded by reporters and flashing cameras. He's also my childhood friend who has pursued me for ten years. I calmly send him a message. "Christian, does your offer for a contract marriage still stand?"

Ingrid, the biological daughter of a high-class Las Vegas prostitute and an unidentified felon, was taken in by the esteemed and politically powerful Bishop family, despite the infamy surrounding her lineage. While her adoption provided her with stability and privilege, she grappled with assimilation, as the truth of her origins lingered as a whispered scandal within elite circles. For months, she was held in captivity—a pawn leveraged in the hopes of reviving the dwindling influence of her father’s political faction. Unbeknownst to her, the very syndicate responsible for her imprisonment was, in fact, her relatively same kin—a Grey. Among them was Jace—her known brother—whom she inadvertently fell in love with. Their relationship ignited public outrage, condemned as a textbook manifestation of Stockholm Syndrome. Yet the public remained blind to the deeper reality: a chilling embodiment of a morally ambiguous entanglement.

I've spent the past seven years by Caleb Hale's side, but I don't have a proper identity. He doesn't seem interested in marrying me, either. Later, he has plans to marry the daughter of the White family in a political marriage. They only have one condition—he must throw away the sandalwood bead bracelet he always wears. Caleb doesn't even bat an eye as he says, "It's just a little trinket, and I've grown sick of it." After that, he throws the bracelet into the annex from his balcony. Coincidentally, the annex later catches fire. Everyone is stunned to see me dash inside to retrieve the bracelet without a care for my safety. Subsequently, someone in the online community reveals that I kneeled in the snow outside Highspire Hall to get that bracelet.