Dakota Mortensen Dating Shinia Powell Amid Taylor Frankie Paul Custody Battle

Dakota Mortensen and Shinia Powell's rumored romance is the real deal ... 'cause TMZ has learned the "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" stars are officially dating.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Dakota and Shinia started dating a few months ago. We're told they're not exclusive, but have been enjoying their time together.

A source close to the couple tells TMZ ... Shinia has been "a steady source of support" for Dakota through some incredibly difficult times, especially when he didn't have immediate family nearby.

We're told their friendship naturally grew into something more, and they're navigating what the relationship means for them and their children.

Dakota shares 2-year-old son Ever with ex Taylor Frankie Paul ... Shinia has two kids, a 6-year-old daughter and a 4-year-old son.

We're told Dakota and Shinia know their romance will attract attention, but they're asking people to respect their privacy as they "work as a team to move forward in a healthy way" amid an already tumultuous situation.

Shinia recently shared an Instagram carousel from a trip to Arizona that included a photo with a man who fans speculated could be Dakota, adding fuel to speculation the two have been spending time together.

The post is littered with comments bashing Shinia for getting with Taylor's ex.

As fans saw on Season 4 of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," Dakota and Shinia's past hookup became a major storyline after Taylor learned about it, sparking a public fallout within #MomTok.

By the finale, Dakota admitted he'd also slept with Taylor during the same period, leaving viewers unsure where things stood between him and Shinia.

Off camera, the drama has continued. As TMZ previously reported, Dakota and Taylor remain locked in a bitter custody battle, which recently escalated after Utah's Division of Child and Family Services petitioned a court to declare Taylor's three children "abused, neglected or dependent."