One Last Prowl: BBW Were Mountain Lion Shapeshifter Mail Order Bride Romance (Shifter Grove Brides Book 6) by Anya Nowlan

her, giving her strength and inner calm, but because the one person she loved the most in this world seemed happy as well—her son. So it came as no surprise to her when she decided to spill the words and see where the chips fell, hoping for the best.
    Dahlia put down the tray and decisively took Austin’s hand in hers. He was holding the steaming mug of tea with his other hand and a slight confused frown crossed over his expression, only to be turned into a guarded grin.
    “Mom?” Marcus asked, surprised.
    Since he had spent so much time out of the house, Dahlia had had no trouble sneaking around a bit with Austin over the past few days. But she was tired of hiding her happiness. She knew that if Marcus would let her then she could explain everything to him, especially the fact that no one could ever replace his father, but there was room in their lives for more love. And she wanted badly to get it out before it was too late—for her and Austin, for Marcus and her in Idaho, for damn near everything.
    “I’ve been trying to figure out how to tell you this, Marcus,” she started, taking a deep breath. “You know I haven’t been together with anyone since your father died. But Austin and I, we’ve been thinking about giving things a chance between us.”
    “What kind of a chance?” Marcus asked, his eyes narrowing as he glanced from Dahlia to Austin and back again.
    “To see where things between her and I could go, Marcus. I know no one could take your father’s place, but I think you and your mother could be happy here in Shifter Grove. And I’d sure love to have both of you here,” Austin offered, keeping his voice level.
    He squeezed Dahlia’s hand and she smiled mildly, grateful for the support. But Marcus looked like someone stabbed him in the back and left him bleeding, his face getting pale and his eyes sparking with anger. For a second, she thought she saw something deep yellow flash between his gray eyes, but it was gone as fast as she’d noticed it.
    “So that’s why you brought me here into this goddamn brush in the middle of nowhere? So you could shack up with some has-been from Texas?! Screw that. Screw you! Both of you!” he hissed, spilling words of anger and bitterness. “I’m not going to stay here!” he said, turning around before Austin could grab his shoulder and taking off at a dead run, covering the ground with such ease and speed like Dahlia had never seen in him.
    “Marcus! Marcus, come back here! Give me a chance to explain!” she called, running after him.
    But he was too damn fast. Austin caught up to Dahlia and stopped her at the edge of the yard. Marcus had already disappeared into the think underbrush and only the rustling of leaves marked that he was still running somewhere out of sight.
    “Well, that could have gone better,” Austin remarked with his trademark drawl, his face looking hard and on edge.
    “You think?!” Dahlia said, exasperated. “Sorry, I’m just… I hoped he would at least give me a chance to explain. I thought now was a good time.”
    “I don’t think there could have been a better time, no matter how carefully you picked it. I’ll go after him. Can you call Slate and the rest of the boys and let them know that we have a teenager on the run and he doesn’t know the area half as well as he thinks he does? I don’t want him to get lost in the dark. The numbers are in the kitchen,” Austin said, slipping his hand around Dahlia’s shoulders and giving her a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry, hon, I’ll find him. And we’ll talk to him... give him all the time he needs and all the explanations he needs, okay?”
    Dahlia nodded weakly, fearing her knees might go out from underneath her. What she had feared the most was happening and she was powerless to stop it. Those tears she had been swallowing for years now when dealing with all the stuff that happened with Marcus came flooding back now, making her eyes water.
    “I’ll go make the