Author's Note:

Hello and welcome to this 'Raphael as a werewolf' AU. This was an idea I had in my mind but I'm not sure how far it'll go, but it features Raphael as a free-transforming werewolf and has a lot of detail on my invented version of a werewolf race. I hope you all like this variation on werewolves and enjoy the chapter.

I do not own any aspect of Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Uprooted

Raphael whimpered, the walls of the dark room closing in around him as he snuggled deeper into the nest of blankets he'd created, vainly seeking comfort.

They didn't smell right, they smelt like soap and flowers, artificially scented with human creations. They didn't smell like his fathers, comforting, caring and as familiar as his own scent. They weren't warm, and there was no heartbeat flowing through them, nor arms surrounding him, giving him security.

As a werewolf, he was used to close physical contact and the scent of his fathers as he slept. That was how all werewolf families slept, in close contact with any cubs in the middle, even if a cub wasn't with their actual fathers for the night, then whichever family they were with would let them sleep with them as if they were a member, the pack as whole was considered to be an extended family after all.

He focused on memories of his fathers, trying to ease himself.

His Da, bold and full of humour. He put everyone at ease and lead the pack like an Alpha three times his age. He always knew how to show kindness yet could humble the most rebellious and hot-headed pack members. His leadership was unquestioned, yet he remained approachable and loving, especially to Raphael, his cub.

His Pa was different. Though he was the biggest member of the entire pack, he preferred to be in the background. His vast strength was legendary, yet he rarely used it, never joining the hunters out in the forest. Instead, he stayed home, caring for the cubs and overseeing the maintaining of the Mother Tree, a most honourable task amongst the pack.

Raphael whimpered a little louder.

He didn't know what was going on, he'd been aware of the unease hanging over the pack's adults, the whispers and worried looks shared amongst the Elders. His Da had been away much more often, while he was occasionally away for a night or two, Raphael hadn't seen him be away as often as he had been the last few weeks. His Pa would happily comfort him, and kept his loving smile as always, but he'd seen the worry in Pa's eyes.

After weeks of imperceptible uncertainty, his Da finally returned after days away, but his steps were heavy, his eyes sorrowful, and a battalion of human knights followed him.

Raphael had smelt him coming, and had rushed out to meet him, flinging himself at his Da the way he always did, but froze when he smelt the sadness and guilt supressing his Da's scent, like a cloud of dark perfume swirling around him. He felt himself being hugged tightly, far tighter than his Da had ever hugged him before, and his Pa hugged as tightly from behind, surrounding him with their scent that always brought security and comfort, but now it filled him with sorrow.

His Da spoke gently, "Raph, things are about to greatly change for you. You have to go with these knights."

Raphael snapped his head up to look at his Da, "Why?"

His Da placed his hands on his cheeks, "I'm afraid I don't have time to explain, but you need to go with them. I'm sorry, but me and your Pa can't go with you."

"Why not!?"

Raphael's voice visibly cracked, why couldn't they come? They'd never have sent him off with strangers before, and why him?

His Da pulled him into another tight hug.

"Please be brave little cub, we will be able to see each other again, but please be brave until then."

He had no idea what was going on, but Raphael had always trusted his Da, and he chose to do so then, going with the knights. However, he couldn't stop looking back, seeing his Pa weeping, clinging to Da who watched him leave with tearful eyes. The pack also watched other cubs being held close to their fathers as they all saw him off in shocked, silent sadness.

Even when they'd long since left the forest his pack called home, protected by the Mother Tree, he kept looking back, fear building with every step he took away from his only home. Around him, the knights paid him little heed, keeping him firmly surrounded as they marched. He couldn't help but feel that the tight formation was to keep him hemmed in and unable to leave their sight and he tried to push to the front only for one of them to roughly push him back.

He didn't try again.

By the time night was falling, they reached a massive castle. Raphael had heard of these things and how they were usually homes for important humans, and he wondered what such a human wanted with him.

A grumpy looking human was waiting for them, wearing white robes (at least he thought they were robes) and they gave him an appraising look, their face curling as if in disgust. For his part, Raphael eyed them warily, they looked…different.

The person spoke, shaking their head, "Do they not even clothe themselves properly?"

This question seemed to be rhetorical, for the human then gestured at him, "Come boy!"

They turned and walked away, leaving Raphael staring after them until he was shoved roughly in the back. He stumbled forward and glanced behind him, seeing a knight glaring at him, "Do as you're told!"

Quickly, he began walking after the grumpy human, two knights following right behind him, and they crossed a large courtyard, went up some broad steps and entered a large building. The interior was vast, but sparsely decorated except the water somehow pouring down either side of the steps ahead of them. Raphael got little time look around him as he was hurried through the large room, through some way too neat and tidy grassy areas, and towards a long building with several doors, passing more humans who stared at him and whispered to each other. Soon, they came to a plain wooden door which the grumpy human swung open and gestured inside.

"I'll return tomorrow with your uniform. Try anything and you'll regret it."

The moment he was inside, the door slammed behind him, shutting him within, bringing him to the current moment.

Raphael extracted himself from the nest he'd made in a bid to replicate being surrounded by his fathers and padded over to the small window of his room.

He didn't like this place, he'd heard of human buildings but had never seen one, he hated the walls and doors, blocking off the natural world. His family had slept in a small cave, and many of his friends had strong burrows dug under sturdy trees. They'd all had things like bits of furniture and blankets, but there was no need to barricade the entrances and stick glass in openings. Blocking out the rest of the world seemed wrong.

He found a metal latch, and prised it loose, allowing the window to slightly swing open and let in the night breeze, sighing in pleasure as fresh air and scents blew gently in. He closed his eyes and savoured them, filtering out the harsh smells of manufactured stone and metal that came with the castle. Instead, he focused on the smells of the trees in the grounds, and the earth below, there was pine somewhere nearby, and he smiled as he took in the familiar scent. His home had been full of pines.

He then stopped, his ears picking up a faint noise.

As a werewolf, his ears were very sharp and keen, and he heard a distant sound drifting in on the wind towards him.

Howled song.

Tears began brimming in his eyes, though faint, he knew the tune. It was a song of prayer, howled to the Mother Tree in askance of her blessing. His pack performed it every year in the autumn, when they would present the cubs born that year before the Mother Tree and request her protection over them. However, it was not autumn, and Raphael knew that they were howling for him, they were singing for his protection, asking the Mother Tree to watch over him in this time.

He pulled over the nearby desk, sitting on it and settling down to listen, his eyes sliding closed as he drifted into uneasy slumber, the faint howls of his pack echoing in his dreams.

He was abruptly awoken by the door swinging open and something soft being flung at him.

The young werewolf practically fell off the desk in surprise, fumbling with the bundle that had been tossed at him.

"That is your uniform, put it on!"

The grumpy human from the night before was standing in the doorway, and they glared at him as Raphael blinked in confusion.

"Uniform?"

"Yes!" Came the impatient reply, "The clothes you will wear while you are here. Despite your people's…simpler…ways, only wearing small cloths is not acceptable."

He glanced down at his so called 'small cloths'. Until now he wasn't even aware that that was what humans called them, they were just clothes. Due to their ability to transform and greater tolerance towards wet and cold, werewolves only wore 'small cloths', it was practical, and all he'd ever known, though he knew that humans wore more clothes.

Guess that wasn't allowed now.

He began tugging the 'uniform' on, but he found it incredibly hard. The garments for his legs were tight, and what he guessed was meant to be the undershirt barely buttoned up over his chest. Fortunately, his Da had told him enough about human garb that he could work out how to get it on, though he hated the shoes, what was wrong with going barefoot?

Eventually, he gave up on the black overshirt thing and discarded it, using the wide belt to both keep up the legwear and help keep the undershirt in check. The grumpy human had stepped outside while he put the uniform on, and he followed now that he was finished.

Upon his appearance, the human glanced at him and sniffed, "I guess that will have to do." They turned away, "Master Seteth wishes to speak with you, follow me."

They strode briskly away, and Raphael followed meekly behind, he still didn't know what was going on, but Da had told him to be brave so he just went with things for now.

They entered another large building and went up a flight of steps, eventually coming to a plain wooden door. The human knocked upon it.

"I've brought him sir."

"Send him in please."

At the voice echoing from within, the human pushed open the door and gestured for Raphael to step inside. Doing so, the cub was greeted with a furnished room, dominated by a desk facing the door, behind this sat a green-haired man. Instinctively, Raphael sniffed the air to take in this man's scent (that was normal when meeting someone new after all) and was slightly surprised. This man's scent was…odd…but he couldn't quite work out why.

"Please, take a seat."

At the request, Raphael broke from his musings at the odd scent, and sat down facing the man whose eyes became gentle as he regarded him.

"Firstly, my name is Seteth. I serve as advisor to the Archbishop here at Garreg Mach."

Garreg Mach, so that's where he was. He'd heard of the centre of the human church, but his pack hadn't really concerned themselves with it. Why had he been brought here?

His surprise and confusion must have shown, because Seteth spoke again.

"Have you actually been told why you are here?"

Raphael simply shook his head, and Seteth gave a quiet sigh, "I see." He looked at him with an even gentler expression, "I shall spare you all the complicated details, but in short, there has been…issues…between werewolves and the Alliance. After a lot of negotiation, your father agreed to submit more to Alliance rule, instead of your pack merely being left to live as you have done."

There was a change in Seteth's scent, one that indicated there was something he didn't like about what happened, but Raphael didn't mention it, letting the man continue.

"As part of that agreement, the Alliance requested that you, as the Alpha's son, should attend the Officer's Academy and learn more about Fόdlan's culture and society."

Raphael frowned, why did he need to learn about that. He knew that understanding a culture could be helpful when negotiating with others, but he wasn't going to be doing that, he wasn't in line to be the next Alpha or anything, surely that respecting it was different was enough?

"Of course, it goes without saying that this will involve a great deal of change for you." Seteth was still speaking gently, "If you need any help, please don't hesitate to ask me, I am well aware that werewolf society is very different from that of the rest of Fόdlan."

He then frowned, "How old are you Raphael?"

"Eighteen next month." The cub responded, his birthday was actually coming up soon, and he was supposed to be shown the Sacred Den beneath the Mother Tree on that day, as per tradition. He got the feeling that wasn't going to happen now.

Seteth's eyes widened a bit, and he looked a little surprised, "That's rather young for a werewolf isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess."

The man wasn't wrong, he was only just heading into adolescence, hence the upcoming tradition.

Seteth smiled softly, "Once again, if you need anything, merely ask." He stood, "Now, I believe you will be in need of breakfast. If I remember correctly, werewolves eat a great deal more than most people, I'll need to make sure the kitchen is properly informed."

At the mention of food, Raphael's stomach growled loudly, reminding him that the previous nights events had caused him to miss dinner, and he swiftly stood, ready to eat.

Seteth guided him straight to the Dining Hall, taking the opportunity to point out other areas of the monastery as they walked. He mentioned that he'd have classes to attend but assured him that the actual academy year was still a day or two away, so he could take the time to adjust before it began.

Soon, they reached the hall, and Seteth sent him off to sit down.

"Normally you'd join the queue to get your food, but I wish to speak with the cooks about some things, so allow me to get breakfast for you this time."

Giving a smile of thanks, Raphael headed to the seat the man had indicated to sit and wait, feeling a little more at ease. It seemed the people here ate communally as well, just like at home, maybe things wouldn't be too different.

"Ah, I assume you are Alpha Fenrir's son?"

Raphael looked up, seeing a thin boy wearing similar clothing to his own uniform, though he sported an artificial rose on his chest. What was that about?

He took in the boy's scent, finding several other, artificial smells on top of it. Why would you cover up your own scent with something fake?

"Who are you?"

The boy seemed aghast at Raphael's practical question.

"What, are you unaware of House Gloucester?"

"What does a house have to do with my question?"

At this, the boy's eyebrows nearly disappeared.

"No, House Gloucester refers to my family. I am Lorenz Hellman Gloucester."

Raphael frowned once more, "Why do you have three names?"

Lorenz Hellman Gloucester spluttered, "What…no! Lorenz is my given name. Hellman is merely my middle name and Gloucester is my family name. It indicates that I am a member of Gloucester nobility." He gave a question of his own, "And what is your name."

"Raphael."

There was a pause as if Lorenz was expecting more, then he spoke, "Is that it?"

"Yeah…why wouldn't it be?"

"Do you not have a family name?"

"Why would I?"

"To indicate which bloodline, you belong to." Lorenz answered, a touch of exasperation in his voice.

Raphael scratched his head in confusion, "Why would I need a 'family' name to do that? Scent tells you things like that."

He didn't understand, when you met someone, you took in their scent to get to know them better, all werewolves did. Family lines had similarities in their scents, so you could easily tell who was related to who by matching them up, why have a name beyond a given name?

Lorenz seemed equally confused, "Are you saying that you werewolves do not have any means of tracking family lines?"

The cub stared at him, yes, they did, he just told him that scent indicated bloodlines. That's what they used.

"Oh wow! Are you the werewolf!?"

A loud, higher pitched voice joined the conversation, and a pink-haired human sat confidently across from him, leaning forward as they spoke, "My name is Hilda. I heard one of you was joining the academy, I guess you must be pretty smart."

Raphael stared in confusion at Hilda, not fully listening to her words. Her scent had an odd difference from other humans (once he'd managed to identify it from the artificial one covering it), a similar difference to the human from last night, but it wasn't because the two were related. They seemed to be a different shape from other some other humans as well...oh!

It suddenly clicked into place, and he blurted out his question, "Wait! Are you a female!?"

Hilda looked completely shocked, and Lorenz's mouth had dropped open, seemingly torn between horror and surprise. Eventually, he spluttered out a response, "How…how have you just recognised this!?"

Raphael wasn't quite sure where the shock was coming from, "I mean, I've never actually met someone who was female before, not until the last couple of days."

"How can you have not met any girls!?" Hilda practically shrieked, still seemingly shocked.

He didn't understand why they were surprised; didn't they know? It wasn't like werewolves all being male was a secret.

"Umm…all werewolves are male. Don't you know that?"

Hilda burst out laughing, "C'mon, there's no way that's true!"

Lorenz seemed irritated, "Honestly, its not befitting someone of your position in your society to play such practical jokes. It is in poor taste."

Now he was really confused, how could they not believe him? He thought everyone knew about werewolves' only being male? It was a key part of their culture and dependence on the Mother Tree.

"But I'm not joking…"

"Come now Raphael, that's quite enough." Lorenz admonished, "A race of only one gender could not possibly survive, this poor joke has gone on long enough."

"It is no joke."

Seteth's voice entered the conversation, and Hilda and Lorenz both jumped and stared at him. The man was holding a plate piled with food, and he calmly placed it in front of Raphael before speaking sternly to the other two.

"I can assure you that Raphael's words are the truth. Werewolves are well known for being an all-male race and it is a key part of their culture and history. If you still doubt my words, then I can point you to a book detailing many aspects of werewolf society within the monastery library." He gave them a meaningful look, "Perhaps you would find it beneficial to read it, since you seem to be lacking the most basic knowledge about his people."

Hilda and Lorenz shuffled awkwardly, before politely excusing themselves and leaving. Once they'd disappeared, Seteth sighed and turned back to the bewildered Raphael.

"I'm afraid that you might find others equally ignorant as they were, please try and be patient and let me know if there are any problems."

PS-Raphael the werewolf, inexperienced in the ways of humans is now at the Officers Academy. Please let me know what you thought and I'll hopefully update soon.